Time Force: Edited
by BoukenSpirit
Summary: Who are the two mysterious Time Force rangers who've shown up in Silver Hills? And why does the appearance of Wes' sister make Eric go so insane? Eric/OC Wes/Jen Lucas/OC COMPLETE
1. Forces From The Future and Present

Rachael.

The prettiest name in the world, and the only one that he could ever like. Her name was beautiful, just like herself. Her raven black hair reached down her back, a least it had years ago, when he last saw her. Eyes were the same as her brothers, a light shade of greenish brown that glittered every time she smiled. Her style of clothing was... different to say the least, wearing jeans and dark make-up with her multiple t-shirts, but the way she smiled made the emo look work.

And then he woke up.

Eric sat straight up and stared at the wall for a moment before he realized that he'd only been dreaming about her. Again. Groaning, he threw off the covers and got out of his bed, and walked to the bathroom to douse his face in cool water. He stared at the mirror. Rachael's face haunted his dreams, and made him relive so many regrets in his life, it wasn't fair.

"Damnit." He muttered out loud. He hadn't seen her since going to school with her brother years ago, but he'd reunited with him, his sister was only a step away. He mentally chided himself and changed into his work uniform. The Silver Guardians was the best thing for him; keep his mind off of _her_ for a while.

**Downtown**

A raven-haired beauty stepped off of a bus and sighed contently. She lifted her large sunglasses off of her face and set them on her head, pushing back her straight locks away from her face, but allowing her bangs to fall freely on her forehead. She glanced around and hoisted her large backpack up higher on her shoulder and started walking down the streets in her holey jeans and loose black t-shirt. Then she saw him, although he was dressed in a white body-suit but it was unmistakably the form and figure of her brother.

"Wes!" She shouted, catching his attention. He looked up and grinned widely at the sight of her and took a step forward. She dropped her bag and ran for him, and they met in the middle, him catching her and swinging her around in a tight hug. She pulled back with a wide grin. "Believe it or not I missed you." She said, a laugh lighting up her voice.

"I don't know if I believe that." He said with a smile, taking off his painter's hat, revealing a head of blonde hair. He gave her a last squeeze and let her go. She smiled brightly up at him and then her gaze caught at the people behind him who were dressed similarly and staring at the interaction.

"Uh, Wes." She pointed behind him and he glanced and jumped, leading her over to them.

"Sorry, these are my friends; Jen," he motioned to a girl with brown hair who attempted to smile, but only managed a nod. "Lucas," A guy with spiky dark brown hair smiled suavely, "Katie," a dark skinned tall girl waved once, "And Trip," A guy with green hair sticking out of his hat waved happily. Rachael smiled brightly and ignored the death stare that the brunette girl was giving her.

"Hi." She said, sticking her hand out directly to Jen. "I'm Rachael. Rachael Collins." Jen's eyes widened and tilted her head slightly. "Wes is my brother and Irish twin."

"Irish twin?" Tripp asked curiously.

"We were born on the same day, exactly a year apart." Wes smiled. "I'm older."

"That's not an excuse to not mention having a sister at all." Katie scolded and Wes looked ashamed.

Rachael dropped her hand and turned to Katie. "Oh really?" She crossed her arms and gave her brother a look. He blushed and his face contorted and attempted to change the subject.

"So Rachael, why did you return to Silver Hills?"

"To bother you." Rachael grinned, but then she got uncomfortable. "For real, Dad called me." Her face wrinkled into a frown. "He's finally ready to force me on multiple blind dates with business men I have to force liking." She shook her head. "It's like the freaking middle ages."

Wes put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a small hug. "It'll be fine Rach." She looked up and smiled softly, but then pulled away a little.

"I hear you moved out?"

Wes grinned and nodded. "Some things happened, and now I live in the Clock tower with my friends." He nodded at the other four. Rachael smiled at them too and picked her bag up off of the ground and sighed. A limo pulled up next to them and their butler Philips got out of the back and smiled at the girl.

"Hey Philips," she hugged the butler and turned back to her brother and waved. "See you around." She sighed and slid in the limo. Philips nodded to Wes and sat in after her, and Wes watched with his hands in his pockets as the limo drove away.

"She looks nothing like you." Lucas was leaning on the rake with a grin on his face. "Mainly because she's amazingly good looking."

"Shut up." Wes said grabbing the trash bag they were raking leaves into. Jen moved slowly but then got back into raking.

**Collins Mansion**

Rachael stepped out of the limo and Philips took her bag from her with a soft smile.

"Don't be wary Miss Collins, your father is the same man he's always been."

"That's what I'm worried about." She said softly looking up at the huge white house. Rubbing her hands on her torn jeans, she started walking into the large house. She stepped into the grand hallway and looked around, it was the exact same as she remembered from her childhood. Her father had sent her to a high class boarding school on another continent for the past few years, meaning she could almost never see her brother, and being only a year apart, they were very close.

"I don't care what you have to do, I want…" Mr. Collins walked through the door and saw her standing there. "Rachael." He opened his arms and pulled his daughter into his arms, smiling at her warmly, or at least as warmly as he could. A younger business man stood behind him and was blushing lightly. "I would like to introduce Martin Hallowell." Rachael smiled weakly and nodded at him; Martin blushed bright red and nodded with an awkward 'Hi'.

"Dad, I'm going upstairs."

"Long trip?" Mr. Collin's asked to which Rachael nodded. He smiled after her as she climbed the huge staircase to the second floor where her and Wes' rooms were.

Up in her room, Rachael flopped down on her bed and sighed deeply. Her room was opposite as it had always been, clean and neat walls in their light lavender color, crisp white furniture and neatly arranged pictures on the walls, but underneath her bed and in the closet showed her true personality. CD's were lined up in boxes, DVD's and electronics galore around and dark colored clothing in the closets. She started pulling posters and things out of the closet and set them up again, and after an hours work, her room was once again normal.

"Your bags, Miss Collins." Philips said at the door. Rachael smiled and took one bag while he left the other ones and after the butler left the room, she opened one and pulled out a silver case and instantly stowed it under her bed, covering it with a blanket. With a sigh she unpacked her clothes and other things and spread them all over her room and was done. She then lay on her bed with a book, and in a few minutes she was asleep.

**Eric's House**

She's back. He watched her get off the bus and run into Wes' embrace. Her long dark hair was the same as before, her mannerisms, her clothing, her facial features, and that smile. Her bright smile.

Damnit! Eric shook his head and continued to pace back and forth. He is the Quantum Defender. Why is he obsessing over his rival's sister? He's the leader of the Silver Guardians, people work for him, but that one girl made him go completely insane. Rachael. He settled down in a kitchen chair and sighed deeply and laying his head on the table with a groan. He wasn't going to sleep tonight.


	2. Surprises and Help

**Clock Tower, Next Morning**

"Hey Wes!" Jen bounced down the stairs and walked over to Wes who was sitting at the counter, waiting for calls for jobs.

"What's up Jen?" He asked, looking up with a coy smile.

"My turn." She smiled and tried to push him off the chair, but he resisted and after a shove fight that lasted a few minutes, they found themselves face to face and their laughter ceased. They were uneasy for a moment and Wes' head started to tilt downward to Jen's, who closed her eyes in anticipation. Without warning the door opened with a loud bang, jolting them apart. Rachael stormed in and walked up to the counter and slammed her hands down.

"I swear I'm going to kill him." She said breathing heavily. Jen and Wes exchanged glances and Wes motioned to Jen to talk to Rachael, who wasn't looking at either one, but at the floor, breathing heavily. Finally Wes pushed her forward and the two girls locked eyes.

"What's up?" Jen asked, attempting to be sympathetic.

"My Dad!" Rachael threw her arms up into the air and settled them down. "He's setting me up on these dates with his advisors, and businessmen. I swear he's going to try and set me up on an arranged marriage!"

Jen looked thoroughly uncomfortable with Rachael's honest outburst. "Um, wow."

"Wow is right!" She sighed and completely collapsed with her head on the counter. "I hate him." She murmured and lifted her head off of the counter and looked at Wes, her face thoroughly miserable.

"Look sis." Wes leaned next to her. "Dad can't make you do anything you don't want to."

"I'm just too scared to fight him!" Rachael said, eyes glittering with an attempt at not crying. She looked up as Jen and Wes' morphers both beeped at the same time. Their faces went white and Jen's mouth opened and closed dumbly before she came up with and excuse.

"Pagers, we have to get upstairs." She said quickly, and Wes nodded in agreement.

"See you later sis." He waved and the two vanished upstairs. Despite her bad situation, she smiled at them. They were hiding something, and she was going to find out exactly what was happening, even though she kind of already knew.

Upstairs Jen and Wes met Lucas, Katie, and Trip at the monitor. A mutant who looked like a large computer was displayed on the screen.

"His name is Mac."

"Mac?" Wes said, his voice slightly amused. "Like the computer?"

"Yeah, the really ancient kind." Trip replied before his eyes widened in embarrassment.

"Thanks Trip," Wes' voice was understanding and amused, "You make me feel so old."

"Sorry." Trip's face flushed red, contrasting with his bright green hair. "But yeah, Mac is a dangerous one, we'd better be careful."

"Let's go then." Jen said, pulling on her leather jacket. Wes stopped.

"Rachael's downstairs. Let's go see if I can get rid of her." He turned and galloped down the stairs, taking one after the other before reaching the bottom. "Hey Rach…" But stopped, his sister was no where to be seen. The other four stopped behind him as he looked around the area, confused. "Where'd she go?" Jen blew past him and toward the door.

"Doesn't matter, she's gone, problem solved." She said, and exited quickly. Wes and the others followed, as they usually did with their commanding pink ranger.

**Downtown**

The five rangers wandered around downtown, morphers out, searching for the monster, unaware they were being watched themselves. Jen glanced around, determined to find the perp, but she was also considering this morning's events. Wes had forced her to speak to Rachael, why? She was his sister, but what did that have to do with her? Even Jen had to admit to herself she had first looked down on Rachael, for some reason, filled with intense feelings of… jealousy? Jen stopped as she realized that she actually had been jealous of the girl at first because she thought she was something different to Wes, and old girlfriend perhaps.

"Jen?" Wes' voice cut into her thoughts and she looked over and smiled weakly and turned back to her morpher and tracking the perpetrator. But she needn't have bothered. With one blow, she was thrown back twenty feet, knocking Wes over and the two lying in a pile on the concrete. The large computer monster stood above them laughing, and the red and pink rangers untangled themselves and stood, presented their morphers and, in flashes of their respective colors they were Time Force Rangers.

"Rangers." He growled in recognition of the red and pink rangers. The two started an almost lyrical attack on him, striking quickly and without mercy. Unfortunately for them, he was tougher and within minutes of their battle, both were lying on the ground in pain. "I tire of you." He said almost regally and turned to walk off the battlefield with dignity but a large blast sent him flying. Jen and Wes moved to their knees and looked up, confused to why the monster would be thrown a hundred feet. Trip, Lucas and Katie gathered behind them, already morphed and helped them to their feet as they all started in disbelief at the huge monster lying on the ground in pain. Then, they saw them.

Two rangers, standing directly between them and Mac, one suit purple, the other navy blue and both clearly female. The two rangers were in defensive positions and the other rangers were still with surprise. Mac growled with anger and in a flash of brilliant blue light, was gone.

"Hey!" Wes shouted at the two rangers. Without recognizing that they heard him, both rangers suddenly sprinted away from the scene, jumping up and away from them, vanishing in almost an instant.

**Clocktower**

"Ow!" Jen protested as Katie dabbed a small piece of cotton on her bloody forehead. She and Wes had been badly defeated by Mac and they weren't in the best condition.

"Maybe if you stop moving, it wouldn't hurt so much." Katie reprimanded her, pushing her face away from the computer screen she was trying to access.

"What did he hit us with?" Wes asked, holding a coldpack to his jaw as he went over to the picnic table where Trip sat.

"Some kind of beam." He said, unsure of what even he was saying. "I don't really know, there isn't much information in the system."

"Who are those rangers?" Jen asked loudly, pushing Katie away and slamming her hand down on the desk. The computer beeped and Trip pushed a button, making Captain Logan appear on the screen.

"Rangers, the two that helped you are Time Force Auxiliary rangers, Delta and Theta, how they got to 2001 is beyond me." He said frustrated.

"So they're Time Force." Katie said.

"Hopefully." Logan said with a grimace, and the communication channel quit.

"They might not even be Time Force?" Wes said wincing in pain as he slid off the table to the floor.

"All we can do is hope." Katie said with a soft shrug, staring off into space.


	3. Memories and Battles

**Next Day, Landscaping Job in Town**

"Wes!" A happy female voice called from the street as the five rangers were cleaning up and landscaping a large commercial building in the downtown area. Wes looked up and squinted to see his sister waving from the curb from where her black convertible was sitting and running up the hill toward him. A girl with short red hair was sitting in the passenger's seat, watching Rachael behind her black framed glasses. The black haired girl finally caught up to him and stopped, today wearing blue jeans and a light pink t-shirt. "Why the heck didn't you tell me there are power rangers in Silver Hills?" She breathed out, blue-green eyes glittering.

Wes laughed, "I didn't know you didn't know! It's been all over the news."

"Hello, boarding school in a foreign country?" Rachael crossed her arms in amusement at her brother.

"You'll have to tell me how France was later." Wes leaned on his rake.

"It was Germany you dolt, and I'll let you get back to work. We do have a lot to talk about thought." She gave him a motherly look that made him think of their own mother who'd died of cancer when they were fourteen.

"Meet me for lunch tomorrow?"

"Café on Main?"

"See you there, noon?"

"You got it." Rachael grinned and turned back to her car, sliding her sunglasses back on her face before getting in the driver's seat and driving away, her black hair shimmering in the wind.

"So?" The redhead said in the passenger's seat as the rangers slipped out of sight.

"He pretended to be clueless." Rachael replied, driving around and pulling into a parking space to an apartment building. The two girls got out and walked up the stairs as the redhead unlocked and opened the apartment door and they both went in, Rachael sitting herself down on a chair. Her red haired friend walked in and grabbed the top of her hair and yanked, pulling the red locks free. "Welcome back Blondie." Rachael grinned at her friend, who shook shoulder length blonde hair around her face.

"Gee thanks." The blonde shot back, a smile lighting her face. "It's odd to see Time Force Rangers doing landscaping though." She pulled off her glasses with flair and set them down on a table with the wig.

"Bronwyn!" Rachael jumped up and checked the window. "Shut up, that landlady might be listening."

"Stop being so paranoid." Bronwyn said, rolling her eyes at her dark haired friend. "She spends her days in the Laundromat downstairs, and none of the other apartments have occupants."

"And you picked the one on the top floor?"

"I don't like noisy neighbors above me."

"I thought this place was empty." Rachael shot back. Bronwyn glared at her but grinned and pulled out a silver case and set it on the kitchen table.

"Well, you never know, and speaking of this, we really need to get me a fake identity." She said thoughtfully, setting up a computer that looked exactly like the one the rangers used.

"I've been thinking about that, Whitney Matthews."

"Whitney?" Bronwyn looked at Rachael with curiosity.

"It sounds like the end of your name, unless you want to be Brittany." She wrinkled her nose.

"I guess that'll work." Bronwyn said, starting up the consol. "I just wish I didn't have to wear the wig."

"Well we can't have Jen recognizing you."

Bronwyn rolled her eyes and pressed a combination on the keypad. A dark figure appeared on the screen and both sat in front of it neither bothering to move much.

"Lieutenants." The figure spoke with a deep voice. "I trust your mission is going well."

"So far we've managed to save them." Rachael replied. "But Mac is still out there."

"Your main objective is to destroy him and then help the rangers when they need it."

"We know." Bronwyn rolled her eyes at his reassessment of their job. "It's kind of the reason we're here in the first place.

"You two are lucky you're the best Lieutenants at Time Force otherwise you'd never get away with talking to me like that." The dark figure scolded.

"We know and we totally take advantage of it." Rachael responded, her tone bored.

"Bronwyn, you need to assume a false identity and live a life here." The man said, ignoring Rachael's comment. Rachael sat up and grinned. "Whitney is perfect, it's close to her name!" She grinned broadly.

"Bronwyn?"

"Fine." Bronwyn threw her hands up. "I'm now Whitney Matthews. We'll work on getting actual jobs."

"I think I can manage that." Rachael grinned brightly.

**Next Morning, Silver Guardian headquarters**

Eric walked through the front door of the office and made his way through the reception area and only slightly noticed the new redheaded receptionist sitting at the desk. Her black rimmed glasses had just sent a flash of light at his face and he blinked away, annoyed. But when he got to the office that he used for the paperwork, he froze.

"Hey Eric." The raven haired beauty grinned up at him. "Long time no see."

"What are you doing here?" He asked rudely, mentally kicking himself a second later.

Rachael rolled her eyes and scoffed. "I'm the new secretary, so be nice." She turned to the computer screen and Eric suddenly remembered that the redheaded receptionist was Rachael's friend.

"Oh." He muttered and went into the office and closed his door. This was not going to work out well with her in the office all day with him. Seeing her around town affected him, now seeing her every few minutes was going to be pure torture. As he sat there his memory went back to the first time he'd met her.

**Eric's Memory**

Seventeen year old Eric followed slightly behind Wesley Collins as they went up the long drive to Wes' huge mansion. All of the kids at their prep school had gone to their homes for break, and Eric didn't have the money fly back home. He didn't want to tell Wes that, but the other kid hadn't asked a single question but invited him without any strings attached. The door opened and an elderly gentlemen stuck his head out and grinned.

"Hello Master Wesley, and you must be Master Eric."

"Hey Phillips, and you know it's just Wes." The blonde guy said with a grin. Once inside Eric looked around the giant front hall, jealously filling his veins. But he kept his mouth shut to be polite.

"Wes!" A female voice called from the top of the stairs. Eric looked up and saw a girl with waist length black hair standing at the top of the stairs. She flew down them and right into Wes' arms laughing the whole way. She pulled back and looked at him with the same green eyes. "Didn't miss you a bit."

"Back at ya." Wes grinned and then turned to Eric. "Eric, this is my twin sister Rachael, Rach, this is Eric."

Rachael blushed and stepped forward, offering her hand. "Nice to meet you." He shook her hand and nodded.

**Later**

Eric walked down the hall of the house from his room and heard voices in Wes' and stopped to listen.

"So Rach, how do you like Eric?"

"Actually, he's the first one of your friends who actually looked in my eyes when he shook my hand. It was a nice change." He heard her laugh lightly, not the annoying giggle of most girls her age.

**Christmas Morning**

Eric got up early that day and snuck downstairs and wandered through the dark, looking at the brightly lit evergreen in the Collins' living room. He looked at the sparkling tree for a fee moments before but jumped when a voice startled him.

"You're up early." The soft voice of the only female inhabitant of the house said from the couch. Eric blushed but it was covered by the glow of the Christmas tree as his mouth gaped as he tried to think up an excuse. "It's alright, I'm not accusing you." She smiled and pulled her legs up to her chest. "Sit down." She pointed to the opposite end. He sat down and looked at the tree for a bit, before looking at Rachael.

"What are you doing up?"

"So you can speak." She grinned. "I don't sleep well on Christmas." She answered. "It's just the kid in me." Her eyes went to the pile of boxes under the tree. There were probably about ten, pretty modest for the age of the two kids at the house, and then their father. "There's one for you too." Her eyes were on him again.

"Really?"

"Yeah, we wouldn't leave you out." She laughed as if it was an absurd thought.

"Oh." He sat in silence for a moment before standing up. "I should go shower." He mumbled and left the room, feeling her eyes on his back the whole way.

**Present Day**

"Eric?" Rachael's voice jolted Eric out of the memories he'd gone through in what seemed like minutes. A glance at the clock told him it had been at least a half and hour and he swore before pressing the intercom button.

"Yes?"

"Dad wants to see you. Well, Mr. Collins." She amended, a grin lighting her voice. Eric couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"Tell him I'm on my way."

"You got it." She quipped. Eric grinned at her comfort of talking to him, they hadn't seen each other in almost five years, but she'd never really left his thoughts. For a while he'd even seen another girl, but when he saw Wes again, it was only a step to thinking about Rachael.

After Eric left his office quickly, he strategically placed his beret on his head while he passed Rachael to avoid seeing her face. Rachael grinned as she watched the gesture and leaned back in her chair at the new desk. She'd worked summers as a secretary at BioLabs for her father, and the Silver Guardian HQ was run the same way, so she knew all the protocol and such. Suddenly a beeping came from her purse under the desk and she dove for it and pressed the button on the side of her Chrono-morpher.

"What is it?" She hissed, holding it under the desk. Bronwyn's hologram appeared crouched down like she was.

"Mac returned, that's our cue." She replied and shut off the communication channel. Rachael got up and told the secretary for the next office to cover for her break as she ran through the building and met up with 'Whitney'.

Downtown the rangers were losing their battle with Mac badly. The Quantum ranger had shown up and was helping them, but even his power wasn't doing much to help them. Mac laughed with a maniacal grin and started charging the rangers but a large blast interrupted him.

"It's the other rangers!" Katie shouted from the ground as the looked up to see the dark navy Theta ranger and the purple Delta ranger struck fighting positions opposite the monster. Mac turned his attention toward them and started lumbering at them. Suddenly a voice entered Jen's helmet.

"Use your V-Weapons and hit him in the back while his attention's on us." The voice was female, oddly familiar, and Jen couldn't pinpoint where she'd heard it before, but she wasn't about to ignore the good advice.

"V-Weapon!" She shouted, standing. "Come on guys." The other four rangers and Eric stood up and called on their weapons as well.

"Fire!" They each called and their blasts struck Mac in the back.

"Fire!" Both auxiliary rangers shouted a second after, their blast striking his front. Mac stumbled backward and fell, falling into an explosion of fire. He stood up weakly and pulled the patch of skin off and grew as tall as the skyscrapers. The rangers called their zords from Time Force HQ, but Eric confronted the two new rangers as the others battled.

"Who are you?"

"That's none of your concern." Theta ranger replied. She and the Delta ranger both focused their attention on the zord battle, but Eric wasn't giving up.

"Are you on our side?"

"Depends on what your definition of 'our side' is." Delta replied coolly, "It's not like you're a part of their team."

Eric reeled at the insult the ranger had thrown at him. "Not like you stick around." He snapped back, stepping forward. Delta moved forward and they stood twenty feet apart.

"I don't need them."

"Right." Delta scoffed as the battle ended. The five rangers returned and stood to the side but between the two angry rangers. Theta moved forward and grabbed her partner's arm, but Delta shook it off. But they both turned and ran from the scene, jumping over a bike rack and out of sight.

"Eric!" Wes demorphed and ran over to the Quantum ranger who released his morph as well. "What did they say?"

"Nothing." Eric muttered, and turned and walked away, leaving the five rangers confused at the scene.


	4. Traitors and Siblings

**Clocktower**

"So they are Time Force." Jen clarified with Captain Logan.

"Yes, but I don't know their mission." He sighed. "Tread lightly around them, but I'm sure they're there to help you." The hologram turned off and Jen looked over at the other four who were sitting around the room.

"I'd just like to know who they are." Katie sighed.

"Yeah, why all the secrecy?" Trip asked, looking up at Lucas.

"I want to know what the purple one said to Eric that got him so mad." Lucas put in.

"Well whoever they are, I'm just glad they're on our side for once." Wes sat down at the table across from Jen who nodded in agreement.

**Bronwyn's Apartment**

"You shouldn't have lost your temper." Bronwyn said coolly, closing the door as an irate Rachael stormed through and sat on the couch. The battle had ended hours ago, but they'd had to put on happy faces for their return to work and Rachael was only just now letting off steam.

"He drives me crazy." She muttered. "Why doesn't he just work with them instead of trying to be so… so… gah!" She slammed her forehead down on the table as Bronwyn lifted an eyebrow in amusement. She shook her head and pulled off her wig before taking out the communication link, and pressed the button as the shadowed figure of their commander came up on screen.

"Lieutenants." He nodded.

"Why are you always in the dark?" Bronwyn asked suddenly. Rachael lifted her head and grinned in amusement. "Seriously, we know who you are; it's not a big secret."

"Just tell him so we can eat." Rachael leaned against the table, her anger ebbed.

"Fine," Bronwyn shrugged and turned back to the computer, "Mac has been destroyed, we're just going to continue things here as planned."

"Affirmative." He replied and the link went off. Bronwyn shook her blonde hair out around her head and glanced in a mirror.

"I miss my blonde hair all day. Why do I have to be a redhead again?"

"Because you being blonde would be redundant, and brunette you look like your sister." Rachael replied almost automatically. "And I already have black hair so you can't too." She grinned. "And since you apparently have no intention of feeding me, I'll go home for dinner."

"I'm going, I'm going." Bronwyn rolled her eyes and went into the kitchen and threw some boiling water on the stove. Rachael kicked her legs out, her mind slipping back to the Quantum Ranger. Despite him being handsome, he was an arrogant jerk most of the time, and that made her furious.

"Dreaming?" Bronwyn's voice cut in to her thoughts.

"More like nightmares." Rachael muttered, sitting up when Bronwyn put a plate of spaghetti in front of her. "Thanks."

"Better than what your cook makes you at the mansion?" The blonde prodded.

"Way better. And I have to admit, the company's better too." She grinned at her friend.

"You know, the offer still stands for you to live here." Bronwyn pointed out. Rachael was still living at the mansion with her Dad because she felt it would be safer for him. Bronwyn thought it was better for her to live in the apartment with her, but Rachael didn't want to leave Alan alone with Ransik on the loose.

"Yeah I know." Rachael muttered.

**Days Later**

Bronwyn sat straight up in her bed and gasped loudly. Her brow was covered in sweat and she grabbed the Chrono-morpher on her bedside table. Looking at it for a second she put it down and threw her covers off and went into the kitchen and opened the computer consol. She hit a few buttons and sat back and watched the other rangers' research a mutant called 'Steelix' on their consol. She bit her lip remembering Jen's pain after arresting him, her own partner. For a second Bronwyn imagined having to arrest Rachael and cringed at the thought. In a flash she dressed and was out the door, strapping her morpher on her wrist as she went.

The day was progressing already, the sun shining and Bronwyn nervously adjusted her wig and glasses as she moved around Silver Hills, watching the rangers. She caught sight of Jen moving to a spot away from the rangers and scrambled to get a better position to look. But from the rooftops all she could see were the rangers convene and then split up.

"Bronwyn." Her name came from her morpher and she pressed the button and Rachael's holographic image popped up.

"What?"

"What's going on? You haven't been answering me all day!" Rachael protested.

"I just think something's up with Jen…" She trailed off and looked around and saw Jen running from the clocktower, alone. "I have to go."

"But…"

"Bye Rach." Bronwyn snapped off the communicator and sprinted through the building and down the stairs. Sounds of a fight escalated down below and she sprinted to see Jen beating Wes down, who didn't want to strike her. Her eyes followed the scene in surprise as Wes trapped her sister in a hug.

"Please Jen, you've got to remember!" He said. "We're all Time Force Officers, we've got, to stick, together." He spat out, wrestling the struggling Jen. Bronwyn watched Jen's eyes freeze and stepped out from the shadows and her eyes locked on her. It didn't last long before Jen nearly passed out and then refocused. "You trust me?"

"Yeah I trust you." She nodded to Wes, her face completely normal. She glanced to the shadows where she thought she'd seen someone moving.

"Jen?"

"I'm coming." She answered and turned to join the fight between Steelix and the other rangers.

**Clocktower**

"You _really_ shouldn't have." Wes wrinkled his nose at the cookies. Jen rolled her eyes as the others laughed at them and took a bite of her cookies. She also spit it out and threw the whole batch into the trash. "Here, I'll make some good ones." Wes rolled his eyes and went to the table and started re-mixing a bowl of cookie batter. "But mine'll never be as good as Rachael's." He warned. Jen sat down at the picnic table they used while the other three went to watch some mindless 21st Century television. Wes watched her while he mixed. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Jen looked up and sighed a little. "I was just thinking… you know back in the warehouse?" She winced as he turned his swollen head at her in amusement. "Well, I just thought I saw someone in the shadows behind you. No big deal." She shook her head.

"Well who was it?"

"It looked like my little sister." Jen grinned at Wes' smile.

"You mean there's another one of you?" He teased and she glared a little.

"We're complete opposites. Bronwyn's more of a free spirit." She grinned. "And she's blonde."

"A blonde one? Now I'm curious." Wes teased while putting the batter on the cookie sheet.

"What about you and Rachael? You two don't look anything alike, and you're siblings."

"Actually," Wes stopped, "She looks exactly like our mom did. Black hair and green eyes."

"And you look more like your Dad I take." Jen grinned.

"Obviously."

**Bronwyn's Apartment**

Bronwyn slipped through the door and flicked on the lights with a sigh and screamed at the sight in her living room. "Rachael Collins you scared me to death!" She tore off the wig and threw it on the kitchen table angrily.

"Sorry, I was just kind of wondering where you were." Rachael said nonchalantly, flipping through the channels on the TV. "How was the battle?" Her voice didn't change and Bronwyn winced.

"Sorry I didn't say anything, but I didn't fight either." She pointed out.

"Whatever, you're alright I guess I'll go home." Rachael muttered, grabbing her jacket and leaving quickly. Bronwyn sighed as she heard the convertible start up and leave the Apartment complex before starting to pick up the mess of the apartment, throwing things to where they belonged to vent the little anger at how sensitive her partner was.


	5. Bitten and Bites

**Early Next Morning**

Rachael stared at her ceiling, totally and completely annoyed. Mostly at herself, but she still wanted to know what the hell was going on. She understood how Bronwyn was worried about Jen, and when Rachael had checked the consol she knew how right it was. Steelix was a tough one, but the thing that irked her was that Bronwyn hadn't called to at least tell her what was going on. Sighing, she pulled herself out of bed and to her closet and pulled on work clothes and went down to eat breakfast with her father.

After parking in the lot across from the Silver Guardian HQ, Rachael walked over to a little café to grab some coffee and a donut before actually going into work. People's screams from the park grabbed her attention first and she dodged forward and scanned the area, not seeing a mutant anywhere.

"Hello Ranger." A dark voice said from behind her. Rachael felt something grab her neck and she screamed and fell on the ground, twisting in pain and no longer knew what was happening in the world around her.

Soon the Silver Guardians were on the scene and Eric yelled for them to scan the area before he caught sight of the raven haired girl. "Rachael." He whispered in shock and ran to her, scooping her up in his arms. Her forehead was already covered in sweat, but her arms were shining with weird silver worm-things. He picked her up effortlessly and her outside hand moved instantly to his chest and grabbed his jacket in pain. Eric sprinted to his SUV and placed her gently on the backseat and sped the whole way to the hospital.

"I need a bed." He said hurriedly to the nurse in charge.

"Everyone needs a bed, just wait." She snapped at him.

"This is Alan Collins' daughter, she needs a bed now." Eric snapped back, and the nurse paled.

"Right away sir." She mumbled and ran from the area. Rachael's grip on his jacket was like a vice and she kept pulling on it as each wave of pain hit her. The nurse came back partially down the hallway and waved Eric back. He followed her to a small room in the back of the hospital, with only one bed in it and placed her down gently. It took both of his hands to pry hers from the jacket before he could stand straight again.

"Rachael." He murmured, looking at her writhing in pain, it hurting him as well. The Quantum morpher beeped, but before he could respond he acted on a whim and kissed her forehead before leaving the room as fast as he could, answering the morpher as he went.

"Captain Meyers, you're needed at the base."

"I'm on my way." He replied and shut off his communication channel. He sped back to BioLabs and quickly grabbed a few guardians and was leaving when Wes stormed through the door. "Hold on, where're you going?"

"I need to see my father."

"He's busy with the Silver Guardians, come back later." Eric grabbed Wes' arm and held him at bay.

"No, it can't wait."

"In case you hadn't noticed, the city is under attack."

"I know! That's why I'm here; my friends have been bitten." Eric stopped and released his hold.

"Come on." He muttered and turned for the hallway, leading Wes to Mr. Collins' office. When they made it to the door Eric turned to Wes. "One thing, Rachael was bitten too." Wes paled even more and ran his fingers through his hair when Eric went in to talk to his father. After the executives left Wes went up to the desk.

"Dad I need your help."

"You don't come around here for months, and when you do show up, you ask for a favor?" Alan had his hands in his pockets as he berated his son. He sat down. "Ok son, what do you want from me now?"

"This isn't about me; it's about the whole city, everybody's sick." He lifted the glass jar in his hand. "This serum, it can cure them."

"Where'd you get that?"

"That's not important, but what is important is that only BioLab has the technology to reproduce it fast enough to save lives." Alan picked up the glass jar.

"If it works, this could be a gold mine." Wes could almost see the dollar signs in his father's hazel eyes.

"Dad, it's not about that! People's lives are on the line! Rachael included!" Alan looked up startled.

"Rachael…"

"She was bitten, Dad. Do it for her."

Within an hour the lab was already delivering the antidote to Venomark's bites all around the city. Eric directed the Silver Guardians to take the serum to all of the people in the streets and take the cases to the hospitals.

Bronwyn, however, was racing through the streets in her small white rental car, looking for Rachael in each of the four hospitals in the city. She'd been to two of them, and she was on her way to the memorial hospital before the final one as fast as possible. "I'm looking for Rachael Collins?" She asked hurriedly, praying if Rachael was there she was alright.

"Captain Meyers put Miss Collins in room 132, now if you'll excuse me, I'm busy." The nurse snapped. Bronwyn didn't even notice as she sprinted down the hallway and slid into the hospital room. Rachael was still writhing on the bed, her arms crawling with the poison. Without a second thought Bronwyn raced back to the main room and snatched a vial of serum from one of the Silver Guardians and back to her partner's room.

"Rachael, you need to drink this." She said softly, trying to hide the panic in her voice. "Drink." She urged, and poured the odd blue liquid into the girl's mouth. After only a few moments, the mark vanished from her neck and her brilliant green eyes opened.

"Bronwyn?"

"Rachael, you were bitten by Venomark." Bronwyn sighed as Rachael sat up in the bed, still wearing her work clothes and everything.

"Damnit, let's go." She muttered, grabbing her shoes and started for the door, but Bronwyn didn't follow.

"Wait, I… I'm sorry I didn't call you about the battle yesterday." She apologized.

"No, I'm sorry for overreacting, seriously. I think I might be turning into my brother." Rachael winced teasingly sending Bronwyn into laughter and they sprinted through the hospital and out to the battle.

Eric was taking on Venomark as the Delta and Theta rangers joined the five core rangers at the scene. By using the MegaBattle, he had the upperhand and easily, caused the mutant to fall to the ground. He got up and tried to run but the purple and the navy colored rangers got in his way and he resorted to the last thing by exposing his skin to the air and growing.

**After the Battle**

Eric grinned as the last of the infected people were taken care of. He watched Jen and Wes shake hands and grinned at them when he heard Jen speak.

"Everyone's going to be ok, because of you." They caught sight of him and Wes gave him a thumbs up before Eric turned away.

"I have to find Rachael." Wes told Jen and released her hands, but a voice called through the crowd instantly.

"Wes!" He turned to have his sister jump into his arms and he hugged her as tight as possible.

"Rachael," He said as she pulled back, but kept his arm on her waist, "Eric said you were bitten."

Rachael winced and pressed her neck gently. "Yeah, but he took me to the hospital."

"He did?"

"Yup." She nodded and glanced over to see Eric standing alone because the people he'd been talking to left. "Thanks." She stuck out her hand and he took it.

"Just doing my job."

"Well you do a good job." She rolled her eyes and pulled her hand from his. "I'll see you at work tomorrow." She waved and returned to Jen and her brother and saw the red hair of Bronwyn's wig near Trip and Katie, but when Lucas came near, she bolted over to her white car. "I think that's my cue. I'll see you around." She kissed Wes' cheek and ran to the car and got in the passenger's side. Bronwyn practically sped through traffic all the way to where Rachael's convertible sat and then the entire way to her apartment. Rachael got out and stopped her before Bronwyn could get up the stairs.

"Whoa whoa whoa, where's the fire?" Her face was alight with amusement and curiosity as she stopped Bronwyn. The red wigged girl pushed past her and up the stairs, making Rachael have to jog to keep up. Bronwyn slammed the door behind her but Rachael caught it before it shut completely in her face.

"I hate him." Bronwyn started pacing the floor angrily with Rachael following each movement curiously.

"If you don't mind me asking, who do you hate?"

"No one." Bronwyn moaned, sitting down and slamming her head down on the table with a thud.

"Lucas?"

Bronwyn's head snapped up. "How'd you know?"

"I didn't until now." The blonde winced and slammed her head down. "Well I saw you bolt from Trip and Katie once he showed up. Come on spill, what's the history."

"I dated him." Her voice was muffled, but the words had the same effect. "Not too long before he came to the past." She banged her head on the desk a few times as Rachael watched with amusement.

"And you still like him."

"No!" Bronwyn's head shot up and she glared at Rachael but her face melted as she slammed it down again. "Yes." She mumbled.

"What happened?"

"I don't really know. We both spent so much more time at work and just decided to end it, but I really regret it." She lifted her head.

"You do realize I was there." Rachael raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but we weren't partners yet." Bronwyn muttered. "We were paired up right after it." She sighed. "I can't believe I freaked out."

"Nah, it happens to the best of us." Rachael grinned standing and going into the kitchen and the fridge.

"What about you?"

"What about me?" Rachael's voice was mumbled from the inside of the fridge. She started pulling out random containers.

"What are you doing?"

"Making dinner since you apparently only want to hit your head repeatedly on the wooden table."

"Aren't you hilarious. Then what's with you and Eric?" Bronwyn leaned on her arm and watched Rachael start to cut up chicken and heating up a saucepan and didn't skip a beat with answering.

"I dunno, I'm his new secretary, he went to prep school with Wes." Her head disappeared as she bent to get something out of the bottom cabinet.

"As in, your brother's friend? That sounds promising." The blonde teased. Rachael just laughed and continued cooking.

"Nah, I first met him that one Christmas all that time ago." She paused for a second remembering. "I haven't really thought of him as, well, a potential boyfriend, ever." She shook her head and threw tortillas into the saucepan and put the ingredients in.

"And now?"

"He makes me want to hit things." Bronwyn burst out laughing at Rachael's comment. "Gah, he's just so arrogant and doesn't want to work with the rest of the team!" She pressed down the quesadillas with the spatula as they sizzled in the pan.

"And us sitting here not telling them our identities are…."

"Orders! We're not allowed to tell them!" The dark haired girl protested, cutting up the quesadillas and putting them on two plates before practically tossing one at her friend. "He's still a jerk."

"A jerk that saved your life."

"We don't need to mention that." She bit her dinner with a flourish. "And if we do, I'll bring up you-know-who."

"Deal."


	6. Beach Date

**Silver Hills Beach**

It was crowded and cramped behind the damn rock and both of the people hiding there were not too thrilled about being there either. "My legs hurt." The redheaded one complained.

"Get over it princess." The girl with raven colored locks snapped back. Normally Bronwyn would have fought back, but Rachael had had a tough day. It was pretty emotionally draining to spend your day in the hospital with a dying parent, and have to deal with doing your job at the same time. They turned their attention back to the rangers on the beach, watching Alex board the time ship and leave, the other rangers standing in a line in front of him. "I say we crash."

"Hey." Bronwyn grabbed Rachael's arm, "Just because he made your brother quit for a while, doesn't mean you have the right to kill him."

"We can go down there morphed." Rachael muttered darkly, her green eyes sparkling. She pressed the button on her morpher and was instantly covered in her dark purple suit. Bronwyn followed her, her navy blue suit with its silver and gold accents and emerged after her.

Alex looked up and saw the two female rangers approaching them and narrowed his eyes. He had no idea what Rachael was really capable of and at this moment that was really scaring him. The girls approached him and stopped level with the rest of the line, arms crossed. Taking a deep breath, he pulled out a device that both Lieutenants recognized and tried to dodge away from him. But the light enveloped them anyway, taking their suits in the process.

"Rachael?" Wes's shocked voice cut right into her, but Rachel didn't take her eyes off of Alex. In two steps she was in front of him and slapped him as hard as she could. Alex stumbled and as soon as he was stumbling to the other side after the redhead's slap.

"Ow." He muttered, holding his face. He looked up into Rachael's face and she glared at him.

"He's my father too." Her hurt whisper was supposed cut into Alex, but he didn't make a single motion that he heard her. He boarded the ship amid the silence between the rangers, and took off, leaving the two girls to face the people behind them. Rachael turned and was suddenly grinning, all of the rangers just stared. "Oh… we're in our uniforms." She said laughing lightly.

"Maybe we should dress down a little." Bronwyn suggested, taking hold of the red wig and pulling it off, letting her blonde hair loose around her face.

"Bronwyn!" Jen and Lucas exclaimed at the same time, looking at each other before Lucas turned away, straightening his jacket as he went. Wes looked confused as his eyes went from Jen, to Lucas, to the girl he thought was Whitney, but two of his friends had just called her Bronwyn, and finally to his sister.

"Rachael?" He repeated, this time more exasperatedly. She grinned and stepped forward, taking his shoulders in her hands.

"I didn't go to boarding school in Europe." She grinned. "I went to Time Force training camp in the year 2999, and trained up through 3000. Bronwyn and I were paired up literally the day before they," she pointed to the other four rangers, "vanished into the past. Or Home as I like to call it." She laughed and Bronwyn smiled.

"And I didn't get transferred to another base outside Millennium City." Bronwyn said softly, rearranging her blonde hair with her left hand while the right played with the red wig. "I was paired up with this one." She grinned at her partner who glared back.

"Yeah her name isn't Whitney." Rachael added to Wes. "This is Bronwyn Scotts."

"Scotts?"

"My sister." Jen scowled at the blonde, who grinned.

"Missed you too Jen."

"Can we go somewhere else? It's a little hot out here on the sand." She wrinkled her nose at the black Time Force uniform she and Bronwyn each wore. Instead of white with black accents, theirs were black with gold ones. Rachael put an arm around her brother's waist and pushed him forward, and they started the walk back to the Clock Tower in town. Once there, the two girls stood in awe as they looked at the other ranger's home. "I totally missed this place." Rachael grinned, looking around.

"You know it?"

"Wes and I played up here as kids; I have to say this was the best clubhouse anyone could ever have." She grinned at her brother would was easing up and could smile at her. She unzipped her jacket and ducked around Katie to one of the walls, pulling away a board and laughing at what was revealed. A drawing, one that looked like four stick figures, was on the wall.

"I forgot that was there." Wes vaulted over the table to get to his sister. "We drew that right before Mom died." Rachael smiled and set the free board on the ground before standing up.

"Anyway," she murmured, turning back to the rangers, "Bronwyn and I were told not to tell you about us, but the butthead kind of gave that away." Her face darkened when she mentioned Alex.

"Hey, he's almost my brother-in-law." The blonde said from the other side of the room.

"And he's my brother's descendant." Rachael rolled her eyes, "At least I don't have to deal with him when this is over."

"Why are you here?" Jen's voice interrupted, her eyes fixed on her sister.

"Logan told Alex to send us." Bronwyn answered, totally ignoring her sister's annoyance. "See, Rachael is the first person to be recruited from the past into the Lieutenant program."

"They started that?" Trip asked excitedly. Bronwyn nodded.

"I dunno what the requirements are, but Rachael apparently fit them." She glanced at the girl who was now sitting next to her brother on the picnic table. "So they brought her to our time, before you guys even left, and trained her, making sure she had an alibi in the past for why she was missing."

"Yeah, that boarding school doesn't even exist." Rachael grinned at Wes. "That's why they had that specific rule that parents and family were not supposed to visit." She grinned.

"Yes," Bronwyn answered, still standing still as Rachael relaxed, crossing her legs, totally shrugging off her uniform's jacket, leaving her in only the black pants and a gold metallic shirt that went up to her neck. "Rachael and I were teamed up right before you guys left, and then apparently she became a stripper." Bronwyn grinned at her partner who wrinkled her nose in protest. Laughing, Bronwyn continued, "Not really, but we only trained together for a couple months before getting sent here, helping you guys and you-know-who-out." She smiled brightly at Rachael when she mentioned the other ranger.

"He irks me." Rachael muttered, kicking her legs out.

"Eric?" Wes asked, eyebrows raised.

"Possibly."

"Oh, you yelled at him!" Wes suddenly remembered the one of the first few battles. "He was angry for a while after that."

"Yeah, I'd appreciate him not knowing about me being the one to yell at him for a while." She wrinkled her nose.

"Either way, we were ordered to keep our identities secret for a while, but I guess Alex decided that was over." Bronwyn inserted. She checked her watch and grinned. "But I have to get Rachael home for her date now."

"Kill me now." The black haired girl muttered. "Not even kidding, kill me now." She crossed her arms and glared at the floor.

"Dad still setting you up with guys?" Wes asked his sister sympathetically.

"Yes, he's even pulling Bronwyn into it!"

"What." The blonde stared at the Rachael with fear on her face.

"Oh, did I not tell you you're coming tonight too?" Rachael grinned evilly at her friend. "Come on." She stood up and took Bronwyn's arm, dragging her to the stairs. "Bye guys see you later and don't tell Eric about us." Rachael said brightly, running all the words together.

The girls disappeared down the stairs and Jen sat next to Wes, staring ahead. "They're like twins."

"But she's from my time." Wes breathed. Both him and Jen looked like they'd just survived a tornado.

"They certainly have a lot of energy." Trip mentioned, looking first to Katie and then Lucas, the latter of whom turned away, and left the room, going up into the sleeping area without a word.

"What's with him?" Katie asked, crossing her arms as she watched him go.

"Long sordid story involving him and Bronwyn." Jen answered, her eyes on the stairs he'd just climbed. "Don't ask me, all I know is they didn't work out, but it looks like he wanted it to." She raised her eyebrows with amusement.

"That'll be interesting to see." Katie grinned, and the other rangers could practically see the wheels turning in her head. Now laughing, they all made their way to sleep, Katie and Jen going to the other bunk where they slept.

In town Bronwyn and Rachael weren't so lucky. They were as tired from the day's events, but that didn't get them out of their dinner set up by Mr. Collins.

"Hello Rachael." A very nervous Martin smiled weakly at Rachael, who hadn't been nice to him with what she's wearing. The girl was wearing a black dress that went barely to her knees and a pair of black heels that had straps up her calves. Bronwyn had been nicer to her blind date, wearing a white skirt that went to her knees and a navy blue long sleeved sweater, white sandals on her feet.

"Martin." Rachael nodded, turning away from him to yawn very unladylike. Her father frowned at her but at her smile; he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to him and she smiled up at her father. He released her once their short walk to the restaurant was over. Bronwyn walked silently next to her date, a blonde guy in his late twenties with a confident swagger that told everyone there he thought he was taking this redhead home.

"So how do you like Silver Hills?" He asked in an attempt to be suave.

"It's fine, except the dating scene leaves a little to be desired." Bronwyn –or Whitney- replied sharply. Ed blinked in surprise as he didn't quite get the jab, but understood her tone. Rachael bit her lip to keep from laughing and turned to go through the door Martin had opened for her. The quaint woman that her father had brought as his date was sweet looking, around his age with kind lines on her face and she sat down at the table next to Rachael, forcing Martin to sit across the table from her, instead of next to her. The dark haired girl smiled at her move, and turned to start a conversation with her.

Rachael continued to monopolize her father's date and ignore Martin, who finally gave up and started talking to Ed about business, her father eventually joining in. Rachael grinned when she noticed Bronwyn slide on her black framed glasses. She was the only one there who knew the glasses weren't normal, they had been brought from the year 3000, and once on her face, with a tap on the side of the rims, images could pass by on the lenses, but look clear to the rest of the world. Rachael assumed Bronwyn was finishing the movie they'd started to watch a few days ago, and was proved right as the redhead slipped a small chip into her ear for volume. Excusing herself, Rachael got up from the table and slipped over to the bathroom. After she exited the ladies room and passed the entrance, and promptly slammed into another body.

"I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed, hurridly arranging her dress to cover what it should.

"No, it's my fault." A deep voice apologized. "Rachael?" She looked up and flushed red at the sight of him.

"Eric." Never more embarrassed in her life, Rachael ducked her head again, and took his outstretched hand, allowing him to help her up. It was either that or the threat of him seeing something he shouldn't under her dress. At that moment she felt the pain in her ankle, and she leaned on Eric's arm. "Sorry, but ow." She lifted her ankle up, pulling off her heel and rolled her eyes at the swelling appendage.

"Here, sit down." He led her gently to a nearby bench that people generally used for waiting to be seated. Rachael's heart did a funny flip she didn't understand while he lifted her ankle up. "Are you alone?" He looked into her face with a concerned look on his face, one so sincere; Rachael was thrown by the switch in character.

"No," She muttered, "Another stupid date with Dad's business friend, but him and Whitney are here too." She threw Eric a pleading look. "Help me out of here?" She grinned when he rolled his eyes, trying to hide his own smile.

"Alright, but take your shoe off." He acquiesced, turning immediately back into his gruff self. Rachael immediately unstrapped both shoes and threw them over her shoulder. Eric helped her to her feet and leant her a shoulder to lean on while she limped over to her table.

"Rachael!" Alan Collins jumped up the second he saw his daughter limping toward them. Rachael grinned at her father to sooth his parental worries.

"Chill Dad, I just twisted it, but it's starting to swell, I have to get ice on it."

"We can order some for you to ice it during dinner." Martin said with an attempt at being romantic, but more of a territorial move as he saw his date leaning on another man.

"I'd rather go home." Rachael frowned at him easily, making him stumble for words.

"She needs to get it home and on ice." Eric said to Martin, his voice threatening. "I'll take her if you want to continue your evening." He looked to Alan who was halfway between standing and sitting.

"No, I'll take her home. Gentlemen I apologize." He said to Martin and Ed before taking Rachael from Eric's grasp. She threw a grateful look at him as her father and Whitney led her out of the restaurant.

At the mansion Bronwyn set Rachael down on her bed and opened the communication device they kept there. Rachael lay back and grimaced, her ankle was really killing her. Bronwyn silently went through procedure and then closed and packed the device away just as quickly as she had gotten it out.

"Here." She said, kneeling next to Rachael. The black haired girl held out her hand and looked as Bronwyn put a small spherical object in her hand.

"What is that?" Rachael wrinkled her brow at her best friend.

"Magical healing thing that will make your ankle magically better." Bronwyn laughed. "Unfortunately I can't do anything about your confusion about a certain guy who rescued you tonight."

"No comment." Rachael muttered darkly, throwing the ball back at the blonde girl.

**Eric's House**

Eric fell into his chair in front of the television, plate of food in his hand, stabbing the meal he'd ordered from one of the nicer restaurants in town. That place had the best Italian food around, and looked very high class. Usually he enjoyed the food with a game on TV, but today he couldn't. A hockey game played on the screen but he barely thought about it, or the food he was swallowing. The black haired girl that had fallen into his arms captured his thoughts and made it practically impossible for him to think straight.

"Damn her." He cursed, setting his plate down on the table next to him and getting up, storming to the doorway of his house and stared out at the dark street. His eyebrows knit when he thought he saw a figure in the road. Eric opened the door and went out of it to investigate, looking around to see anyone on his street. Deciding it was his imagination, he returned to the house, to hopefully watch the game and ignore the lingering thoughts.


	7. Vicis Prodigium

**Silver Guardian Headquarters**

Rachael sat idly at her desk, trying to balance a pen on top of her pointing finger. It had been a slow week since her father's almost death, and things had been a little different at BioLabs. It was like he'd become a different man, working harder at simple things like spending time with her. She sighed and glanced toward Eric's door. He had not changed and was still as ornery as ever, which didn't make her any happier to have to deal with him every day.

"Rachael, did anyone call?" His voice came over the intercom. Frowning she threw down the pen and sat up, pressing the button.

"Nope, nothing all day, I'm bored, have anything I can do?" She said into the intercom, trying not to sound bored.

"You can go home." He clicked it off and she made a huffing noise at it, indignantly wrinkling her nose at the com.

"Fine!" She yelled, not bothering to use the thing, but making sure her voice carried back to his office. Rachael grabbed her things and left the office, going out the back door to avoid Bronwyn and the teasing that would result from her poor mood again. Stepping out of the door she took in a deep breath of fresh air and smiled, it felt good to get out of the office. Until the arm that belonged to a cyclobot. A strangled scream escaped her mouth as she was knocked against the wall of the building, and slid to the ground, her head throbbing. Trying to catch her breath, Rachael tried to stand up, but her spinning head made her only lean against the wall. "Oh crap." She muttered, closing her eyes to the pain that was to come, but nothing came. She opened her eyes and gasped when she saw Eric pushing cyclobots out of his way to get to her.

"You alright?" He asked his voice genuinely concerned as he faced away from her.

"Yeah, just winded." She gasped with one hand on her chest, the other against the wall. Eric continued to fight and as soon as she was the least bit able she started to fight as well. Rachael dropped all of her things on the ground and kicked off her shoes, sinking into a perfect fighting stance. Eric only had an instant to see if before a cyclobot attacked him, and his mind was more occupied making sure she was safe than thinking about it. Rachael was focusing on her battle, but wasn't doing to well, getting jarred against a wall wasn't the best way to make you a better fighter.

A cyclobot came from seemingly nowhere and knocked her down, landing on her back, where she'd stored her chrono-morpher for the day's work. A blue light came from nowhere and in a second she and Eric fell, hurtling through something, landing hard on the ground, and blacked out.

**Hours Later**

"Rachael?"

"Five more minutes Wes." She mumbled, squeezing her eyes shut. A deep chuckle escaped his lips and she immediately realized it wasn't her brother trying to wake her. Her eyes flashed open and Eric's face was grinning awkwardly above her. Instantly aggravated, she rolled away from him and tried to stand up, but stumbled back and hit a tree.

"Hey, relax." Eric muttered at her. "You fell pretty hard."

"And you didn't?" Rachael snapped back, sliding down the tree and holding her head in her hands.

"I didn't hit my head, you did." He frowned at her.

"I'm fine." She muttered, but honestly she wasn't. Whenever she tried to look up the world spun and blurred, a poor combination for someone who wanted to stand up in the next few seconds.

Eric on the other hand was standing with his hands on his hips above her, frowning at the fact Rachael was clearly affected by the hit she'd taken to the head. He rolled his eyes and leaned over, scooping her up into his muscled arms before she could protest his movement. Surprisingly she only tried to shift away from him a little before she gave up and pressed her forehead against his chest, keeping her eyes closed.

"You really aren't fine." He muttered and he heard her grunt unhappily. Eric started walking through the dense forest of where they were, his eyes scanning the surrounding area like the police officer he'd been trained to be. Rachael didn't weigh all that much, so it wasn't such a big deal that he was carrying her for a while. After a few minutes he needed to pause.

"Put me down." She requested quietly, as if she was trying to be nice and civil about the whole thing.

"Promise you won't try to walk anywhere?" He asked, looking at her. Rachael frowned instantly and immediately went into a sulking mood when he simply readjusted his grip on her and continued walking through the dense woods. What seemed like a long time later she tried again.

"Eric, I can stand now." She said softly as he tried to carry her over the fallen logs that were covering this part of the forest. "I'll take it slowly I promise." She urged her tone now sincere. He paused walking and considered her offer and after little prodding he set her down, keeping hold of her arm to steady her. They continued their trek this way, his arm always protectively hovering near her, no matter what the obstacle was.

"Is there no civilization anywhere?" He grumbled. Rachael smiled at his impatience, but didn't retort, there really wasn't anything she wanted to say that didn't involve mentioning her association with Time Force. But the distant sounds of metal hitting metal caught her attention and she shushed the annoyed Quantum ranger and ducked behind a tree to peek into a large clearing.

"Oh my God." She whispered softly. Eric poked his head out next to her and they stared at the sights before them. Two men in leather were hammering on steel, their full beards shining dark brown in the light. A large fire blazed next to them, attached to a full scale barn that sat on the edge of what looked like a colonial village complete with many cottage like houses lined up along a dirt road.

"This can't be real." Eric whispered in awe.

"Oh it's real." Rachael said back and looked down at herself, the black pants and dress shirt she was wearing. "But we don't really fit in with them." She glanced at him and snatched the red beret off his head, holding it away from him as he tried to snatch it back. "Let's go." She whispered and went back through the woods in the direction they started.

"Are you insane?" Eric asked, following her, speaking loudly as they got a safe distance from the village.

"Yep." Rachael responded. "Now shut up and no matter what happens, don't say a word."

"What?" Eric asked, but Rachael hushed him with a look. She pulled an object out of her pocket and placed it on her wrist.

"Where the hell are you?" The hologram of an angry blonde girl appeared out of the chrono-mopher Rachael had strapped to her wrist. Eric gaped, but remembered their bargain and didn't say a word.

"Not entirely sure, but it looks like we're a little bit back in the past." Rachael winced with a brief glance toward Eric.

"We?" Bronwyn asked with fury building in her voice.

"Eric fell with me." Rachael frowned at her. "It's not my fault so don't go blaming me, just get us out of here." She snapped angrily.

"Fine, you two get comfortable and I'll ask the others." Bronwyn's hologram disappeared and Rachael frowned, looking up almost sheepishly at the man standing with his arms crossed staring at her.

**Silver Hills 2001**

Bronwyn tore through the town, speeding to the clocktower and sprinting up the stairs with record timing. Her wig was off almostas soon as she got to the top, and the other rangers stared as she pushed the green ranger out of the way so she could use the holographic computer.

"Sorry Tripp." She half said, her voice fading as she tried to work the controls.

"'Wyn, what's going on?" Jen asked, coming up behind her blonde counterpart.

"Eric and Rachael."

"What about Rachael? Did she finally snap and kill him?" Wes asked with his usual grin, sliding onto his face.

"Not yet." Bronwyn said distractedly. "They were attacked by cyclobots outside the Silver Guardian's headquarters and fell into what looks like an Aoristic Egress."

"A what?" Katie asked blankly. Bronwyn closed her eyes and made a few noises before opening them again.

"Basically, a hole in time in space that, when one goes through, can take them to a different time." She tried to explain as her fingers flew across the keyboard, as if she was searching for something.

"Like a time warp?" Wes asked sitting down next to the others around their small picnic table, watching Bronwyn through the computer screen.

"For lack of a better term, yes." She frowned. "That term is a stupid bastardization of the proper term determined by Time Force. 'Vicis prodigium'."

"You're too smart for your own good sometimes." Jen muttered.

"So I've been told, mostly by you." Bronwyn threw a grinning glance at her sister before continuing with her work. "Ok, so I have a lock on Rachael but I can't find Eric, although I'm assuming they're somewhat together."

"Where are they?"

"1823." Bronwyn turned to Wes and Jen with a frown. "No idea how they got there, and it'll take a while before I can get the clearance to get them out of there.

"Clearance? You can time jump?" Jen stared at her sister.

"Yeah, it's pretty primitive, and it takes forever to work, which is why they try to regulate whether or not we get to." Bronwyn frowned. "There are a ton of rules for the travelers, and right now we only get them when we need them, in the future Logan hopes to have several scattered through time permanently to help in the protection of mankind." She started rambling. "That's why we brought Rachael to Millennium City, she was in training for this Lieutenant program when Ransik escaped."

"Before?" Wes' eyebrows popped up.

"Let's just say Earth has a bad reputation for getting attacked repeatedly, so Time Force has been experimenting with offering help when they can." Bronwyn smiled as she was typing on the computer. "Report is submitted, all we can really do is wait." She frowned. "And find out which criminal did this." She moved as Tripp came up next to her and started working with the computer.

**Silver Hills, 1823**

Rachael hiked through the deep forests, ignoring the ranting male behind her who was currently berating everything she'd ever said or done in her ranger uniform. It was easier to pretend Eric didn't exist than try to fight back at this point, and she was even slightly entertained at how much he was actually speaking. Actually yelling at her, but that wasn't bothering her, until he grabbed her arm and pulled her off balance, falling into his arms. Rachael looked up and he looked down, their faces inches apart.

"Ow." She whispered and a second later, pulled herself away from him, straightening her shirts as she stood up. "Ow." She repeated, louder this time and more pointed.

"You weren't listening." Eric frowned, crossing his arms. "Why didn't you tell me you were the Delta ranger?"

"This would be why." She snapped back at him, rolling her eyes as she turned to continue hiking, but was blasted off her feet onto the forest floor.

**Silver Hills**

"Got it!" Tripp shouted happily through the clocktower. "Epochtica, arrested for multiple transgressions that has caused rangers to be sent through time, not including Rachael and Eric." Tripp laughed.

"I hope she hasn't killed him." Wes grinned. "I don't want to visit her in jail."

"I don't want to have to put her in jail." Bronwyn agreed. "Although it might do her some good."

"It's a thought." Wes agreed with a smile. Jen rolled her eyes at them and pushed her sister out of the way to see the image on the computer screen.

"What can we do?"

"Well," Tripp started, "If Eric and Rachael can get the hands of the clock to both hit noon, it should bring them back here because they're both from this time, or to Millennium City because that's what time Epochtica's supposed to be in." He replied. "Either way it's better than being stuck there."

"Oh lord." Bronwyn brought up her morpher to her face to call Rachael, but the other girl's face didn't appear in the hologram.

"What?" She sounded out of breath and angry.

"We figured out who sent you there."

"Yeah well so did we." Rachael snapped back. "It's kind of trying to kill us at this particular point in time." The sounds of a battle over the morpher and a scream were all they could hear as they gathered around it.

"Rachael!" Wes called toward Bronwyn's morpher

"Just talk!" She yelled back through the battle.

"There should be a clock somewhere on Epochtica's body, move the two hands so that they face twelve noon and it should transport you here, or to Millennium City."

"Sure!" Rachael shouted back, and more yelling and screaming. "Ok, and how are we supposed to do that if we can't get near her?" She asked almost conversationally, but didn't give them time to respond. "Eric no!" She screamed, her voice cutting out immediately after the second word.

"Rachael?" Bronwyn asked, pressing the button on her morpher rapidly. "Rachael?!" She swore loudly. "I lost her." Her arm dropped to her side in defeat.

**Eric**

"Please wake up." Her voice was soft and inviting in his ear. He tried to smile but it felt like his face was too heavy, as if his muscles were too tired. Why was Rachael so far away? He could hear her, but he couldn't tell where she was. Where was she? "Eric, please wake up." He tried yelling to her, but his throat was dry, unable to make a sound. He felt pressure on his hand, and tried to move his fingers, but he couldn't, so he focused on opening his eyes, and finally he caught a glimpse of light. "Well hi."

"Hi." He rasped back and blinked, realizing his inability to move was restricted to his mind, and once he'd gotten his eyes open it was coming easier. He pushed himself up and Rachael leaned back in the chair she was sitting in as he looked around the sterile white room.

"What the?"

"Welcome to the future." Rachael smiled almost evilly at him. Eric's eyes widened and she grinned as she stood up. "Get up, come on." She stood up and went for the door, and after a few seconds he threw the thin sheet off himself and followed her out of the room, dressed only in his uniform's pants and dark crimson t-shirt. He followed her into the hallway, his eyes on the amazing building he was in, his wildest childhood dreams didn't even come close to the reality that was the year 3000. Rachael walked quickly and with purpose down the halls, knowing exactly where she was going, to a command center with several important looking people in it, including the man who looked exactly like Wes, but with Rachael's hair color.

"Alex." She snapped loudly and the man looked up, trying to contain his own dislike for her in his facial expression. The same face that got harder and more annoyed when it landed on Eric.

"We can't clear you guys back to 2001 for at least another hour." He said immediately, not bothering to hear them out. "The rangers are using their zords, you can watch here, and return when they're on their way back."

"Why can't we help?" Rachael sneered back at the annoyed former red ranger.

"Because I said so, go watch it on the monitors." He glared at them, giving Eric a death glare as he passed him going out the door.

"What's his problem?" Eric muttered, moving next to Rachael where she was bringing up video feed onto a thin monitor.

"He and Jen are engaged." Rachael replied to Eric's surprise. "So you can imagine he wasn't too thrilled when she told him she preferred Wes as their red ranger."

"She's engaged to him?"

"I'm glad you agree with me." Rachael grinned as she watched the rangers battling another one of the mutants.

"I do?" Eric asked, almost confused at how nice she was being with him.

"That he's an ass." Her eyes flickered off of the screen and up to his face for a few seconds before returning to the battle at hand. "They're doing fine, Bronwyn's there." She pointed to the purple colored ranger.

"And who's Bronwyn?" Eric frowned at her and she laughed.

"Oh, right." She laughed with a twinkle in her green eyes. "Whitney the new receptionist, she's really Jen's sister from here, Bronwyn Scotts. Oh and she's really blonde and doesn't wear glasses."

"Anything else you'd like to tell me?" Eric asked sarcastically. Rachael wrinkled her nose back at him and narrowed her eyes.

"If you weren't such a jerk all the time we may have told you sooner." He frowned but didn't respond to her accusation. "They've got this." She shut off the monitor to his surprise. "Let's go get food, I'm hungry." She started walking away and Eric followed her without any other reason to. Rachael led him to what looked like a very futuristic and handed over a plastic card that they scanned twice, returning it to her with a nod. Eric watched her go over to a small square hole three feet away and pulled out a red tray with a pile of food on it, then reaching in and pulling out a second that she held out towards him. He reacted and took it from her, following her lead as she got a drink from yet another square hole in the wall and sat down at a two person table.

"Careful, it sucks." She warned with a sad smile as she took a bite of what looked like brightly colored mashed potatoes. Not too thrilled about what he was about to do, Eric took a bite and nearly spat it back out, Rachael laughing at his expression. "I warned you."

"You failed to mention it tastes like someone pureed a can of vegetables into a paste." He frowned.

"That's what it is." She winced. "Cooking has died a little in this future. Bronwyn cooks as a hobby, not to survive, they just eat this highly nutritious crap most of the time."

"Do you cook?" Eric asked curiously.

"I used to cook with my mom." Rachael answered honestly, thinking over the answer. Their rivalry was on hold while they were here, they might as well have a decent conversation to pass the time. "After she died my Dad hired a chef and I only know the basics." She shrugged. "What about you? How does the bachelor eat these days?"

"I cook sometimes; usually just grab take-out somewhere though." He shrugged. "I don't really have time after working all day."

"Makes sense." Rachael agreed.

"Are we really having a civil conversation?" Eric grinned with sarcasm.

"We've both suffered head wounds today, I wouldn't get used to it." Rachael let out a short laugh. Eric couldn't help but smile at the accuracy of her joke and continued to try and swallow the disgusting meal. "The good part about this stuff," She mentioned at his expression toward the food, "You won't be hungry until tomorrow."

"How does that work?"

"No idea." She shrugged and cleared her tray in a few minutes time and threw it into a basket. Eric followed her as they made their way back to the command center to check on the ranger's progress.

**Silver Hills**

The navy blue Theta Ranger demorphed and checked her morpher for messages from Rachael or even Eric. They hadn't heard a thing since Rachael had gone silent, even after Epochtica showed up, they hadn't gotten word from them or Time Force.

"Any word?" Wes asked her, coming up with a concerned look on his face. Bronwyn shook her head sadly before her eyes caught something over Wes' shoulder, a cyclobot hovering behind him, ready to strike.

"Move!" She pulled on his arm to get him out of the way, but a blast from the left sent the thing flying. Bronwyn looked at the source of it and smiled in happy relief. Eric had his blaster pointed at him while Rachael was walking away from him to help up her brother and partner.

"Sorry we missed the battle; Logan wouldn't let us leave until the zords were coming back to only open one portal." She rolled her eyes.

"Vicis prodigium." Bronwyn corrected with a frown and Rachael rolled her eyes.

"No one cares Bronwyn." She pulled her up as Eric stood with his arms crossed behind them.

"Are you ok?" Wes asked, hugging his sister tightly.

"I'm fine." She muttered, her eyes flickering to Eric. "He helped me when I hit my head, and when he hit his, he got to see Time Force." Eric raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, thanks." He muttered uneasily and Rachael smiled.

"Don't mention it, you're still an ass."

**Clocktower Later**

Bronwyn took a deep breath and took a few steps toward where the blue ranger was sitting, but stopped and tried to go back to where Jen was, but stopped when she saw the look Rachael was giving her from the couch. Sucking it up, she went over to the window and climbed out, sitting on the ledge next to Lucas.

"Hey." She didn't look at him, keeping her gaze out on the setting sun. She and Rachael spent a lot of their time with the rangers in the clocktower, but as it wasn't really big enough to house all of them, they usually didn't stay overnight, going back to her apartment or Rachael usually headed back to the mansion. Lucas looked at her briefly and then back down at his hands.

"Hey." He answered, just as uncomfortable as she was.

"The way I see it," She started slowly, "Is that we could keep ignoring each other forever, or we could try and be friends."

"What if I don't want to be friends?" Lucas looked up at her seriousness in his brown eyes. Bronwyn frowned.

"We couldn't make it work then, why would it work now?" She whispered frowning.

"I don't know." He frowned, looking out at the city below them. "I don't like not talking to you though."

"Avoiding you is sort of hard when you're one of the seven people I know in this time." Bronwyn tried to laugh. "Should we be friends and see where that takes us?" She asked softly.

"Alright." Lucas grinned and reached forward, pulling her into a friendly hug. They held each other for a second longer than socially acceptable for 'just friends', but neither cared as they pulled apart. "So how did you and Rachael get paired up?" Lucas asked as he cleared his throat conversationally. Bronwyn laughed and launched into the story, her back against the wall, just talking like friends.


	8. End of Time

**Months Later**

The world was ending. Truly ending, there was no hope left for them, they couldn't survive. Only three of them remained, just her, Wes and Eric were left to defend their time against Ransik's last attack. Rachael leaned her back against the wall of the clocktower, the cuts and bruises on her back screaming at her, but she refused to make a sound despite the pain. Eric and Wes were sitting at other places in the building, silent, even their best plans were useless at this point, even Alex had lost faith in them. They were abandoned by Time Force who had ordered their friends and comrades to return to their time and save their lives, leaving them to die. The five rangers from the future had resisted leaving, forcing her and Wes to trick them into boarding the ship and sent it back to 3000. Her eyes darted over to Eric and Wes as her brother picked up a Polaroid.

"Your friends." She heard Eric say, "How do you know they're alright?" Summoning her energy, Rachael hoisted herself back into a standing position and come up behind him, her arms crossed over her chest as Wes answered.

"I don't." He shook his head, but the sadness didn't have time to sink in as the windows of the clocktower all seemed to shatter simultaneously. Cyclobots poured in from the windows and came at them from all sides, forcing them into a small triangle with their backs together. The battle started with the rangers severely outnumbered, and as they were already tired from earlier battles, it seemed endless. Rachael tried to hold on, but it was a nice sight to see Wes start blasting the robots away from them.

"There're too many, we have to get out of this place!" Eric shouted and Wes nodded in agreement. Rachael nearly fell onto the same bench Eric was leaning on and grabbed her brother's shoulders.

"He's right." She sputtered and Wes nodded, an idea seeming to form in his mind. He looked right to Eric.

"Now do you need my help?"

Eric nodded in comprehension of the plan. "Going up." He nearly grinned and grabbed onto Rachael's arm, holding her close to his body as his other arm was held onto by Wes who had locked and thrown the blaster into the middle of the room. Rachael gasped in surprise when they were lifted into the air, over the heads of what seemed like millions of robots in the room. As they crashed through the glass face of the clock, they morphed into their ranger suits to protect them as they fell out of the now burning building, landing onto their flyers, Rachael sharing Eric's by perching on its wing.

**Morning**

One long night of battling cyclobots to keep civilians safe kept them all awake, and the adrenaline from this battle didn't seem like it was helping all that much. As they patrolled the streets of Silver Hills together, Wes caught sight of Alan Collins wandering through the streets, yelling the names of his two children. They started for him when more robots went for him, too many for him to outrun. In a hurry to get him safe, all three twist flipped over him and took them out easily, the small group of five not a problem for three rangers.

"Wes!" He shouted triumphantly, celebrating his son's victory. Eric and Wes immediately demorphed and went for him.

"Dad, what're you doing here?" He asked in surprise.

"Looking for you." Alan grinned, but his eye caught the still morphed Delta ranger standing behind them, her fists clenched. "What's with her?" His smile was wide as he placed on hand on his sons shoulder and looked at the ranger. "I know your friends." Wes ducked his head and looked at violet shaded ranger who came up to Alan and slowly let the color recede from her body.

"Hey Dad." She winced at the shocked look on his face.

"You're a ranger too?"

"Small world." Rachael tried to smile as she shrugged, but didn't have a chance as her father pulled her into a tight hug. Alan kept one arm around her, and the other hand rested on Wes' shoulder.

"Listen, I'm sorry for pushing you to do things my way. I couldn't be prouder of you two." He smiled and pulled Wes into a hug, releasing Rachael to do so. But what they didn't see was one of the cyclobots getting up and pointing its laser at them, but Eric did.

"Watch out!" He yelled and dodged in front of them, absorbing the shot, and taking it out with his own. Weakened, he fell backwards, and almost hit the ground as Rachael screamed and dodged forward to help catch him, placing his head in her lap.

"We have to get him help." Wes said immediately.

"I'll take him." Alan volunteered, nothing like the man he'd been a year previously. Eric protested, but they stopped him.

"No, Eric, we'll take it from here." He looked at Rachael and she nodded solemnly as she held the Quantum Ranger's head.

"Wait." Eric caught Wes' arm and handed him his morpher. "If anything can deactivate those crystals, my Quantum Defender can." He kept his hand out, and in a brief moment of friendship, they gripped hands, before Wes tore away from them, Rachael followed him closely, trying not to feel the tugging at her heart as they left the two men behind. They came to a place where it was simply the two of them versus hundreds of cyclobots and the siblings eyes met, exchanging their last words and feelings between them silently. The battle began, and as they were severely outnumbered, it felt futile, but they pushed on anyway, their lives and the future at stake. Rachael's mind wandered as she fought, thinking about Bronwyn, how much she meant as a friend, and if she and Lucas would ever patch up their relationship. She thought about Eric and if he'd be ok and she especially thought about her brother battling next to her.

Suddenly from nowhere a time-hole opened in the sky, and before she could even comprehend what that meant, there were five other brightly colored suits fighting alongside them. It was like a scene from a movie, together again, they were fighting until the end, an end they all knew the outcome to, but didn't want to accept it for fear of succumbing to the fear. When they had beaten back the horde of robots, the red and Delta rangers faced the pink, blue, green, yellow, and Theta rangers, meeting in the middle, and powering down as they stood together.

"You guys came back." Wes said in amazement.

"You didn't think you could get rid of us that easily did you?" Lucas grinned at Wes and Bronwyn latched herself to Rachael, wrapping her arms around the girl's neck.

"I thought we agreed to stick together." Katie frowned at Wes as he protested.

"Wes, you're not the only one who can choose their own destiny, we all can." Jen said seriously.

"And we choose to stay and fight." Tripp nodded and the others nodded their heads in agreement. Rachael grinned from Bronwyn's embrace.

"I think we just got outvoted." She whispered and Bronwyn squeezed tighter.

"Like hell you did."

Wes laughed and nodded in defeat. "Ok." He said and threw an arm around Tripp's shoulders as he shook Lucas' hand. "Ok. Alright then, listen up, I think I may know how we can save the city." Soon they were gathered around a burned out van, watching Tripp modify Eric's blaster.

"You've only got on chance; you've got to fire a concentrated beam right at the Q-rex. I adjusted the laser; it should have enough to neutralize the crystal." Tripp said as he handed the laser to Wes, who nearly immediately caught sight of the monsters.

"Come on let's go!" He yelled and they sprinted for the middle of the road where they stood in a formation around Wes. "Ready?" He called. "Time for, Time Force!" In a few minutes Wes was in control of Q-rex while the other four controlled the Megazord in mode red.

"Let's go." Rachael motioned to Bronwyn and the pair raced through the city to do what they could for the people, getting rid of as many cyclobots as they could, eventually being forced to split up, going in different directions around the city as the original five rangers battled Ransik.

They each found several rogue cyclobots filtering throughout the house, all of them attacking innocent civilians. Rachael's breathing was fast as she destroyed a few more, pushing herself to keep going and going. It was hard, but there were people that needed help and since the rangers were battling, she and Bronwyn were needed to protect. Lungs on fire, her blade was dragging along the ground as she hunted out more robots. The world shook and a sharp pain echoed through her mind, the dark black threatening to engulf her. She struggled to hold on, but she was falling, falling hard and she couldn't stop it, the peaceful black enveloping her completely.

An hour later Bronwyn was demorphed and wandering the streets, looking for her best friend. Her short blonde hair was matted to her face with sweat and dirt, her clothes nearly torn from her body, but scraps of her jeans and white t-shirt clung to her. Her nearly worn out sneakers padded the ground rhythmically as she jogged around the streets, searching for her black haired friend.

"Bronwyn!" She turned and saw her sister running toward her, Time Force uniform torn and dirty, her face destroyed, but happy as she embraced her. "You're ok."

"Yeah, but I can't find Rachael." She frowned, looking behind Jen to the other rangers including Wes. "Have you seen her?" Her heart sank as they shook their heads.

"I'll go find my Dad." Wes nodded, "He took Eric to the hospital, she might be there."

"Ok." Bronwyn agreed nodding, glancing down at her morpher again. "If she's not there I'm trying to call her again." They started for the hospital, and split up, Lucas and Katie departed to take Ransik and Nadira into holding on the time ship, the rest dividing themselves between the floors and levels or the hospital. Wes found his father in the waiting room, directing the more severely injured to the front of the line, and helping the lesser injured by giving them water or coffee.

"Dad." Alan Collins' face lit up when he saw his son.

"It is over?" He asked and Wes nodded, earning weak cheers, and sighs of relief from the room.

"Dad have you seen Rachael?"

"No, is she injured?" Alan was suddenly worried. Wes shook his head.

"We don't know, she and Bronwyn split up to help civilians, but we haven't been able to find her since." Wes explained, scanning the room. "Where's Eric?"

"I don't know." Alan shrugged, "He left a while ago. As soon as he could walk, he was out that door."

And out the door Eric was, searching the streets for stragglers, especially Silver Guardians, whom he directed to continue their work, making sure everyone, got to where they were the most effective. Although he was still injured, he felt better with his wounds bandaged and some nutrients in his system, and that kept him moving, doing his job. And part of his job was to save people, and as he saw a hand lying on the ground partially covered by rubble, instinct took over as he ran over. The hand had a small silver ring on the pinky finger, telling him the victim was female.

"Alright ma'am, hold on I'll get you out of there." He called down to her as an adrenaline rush kicked in a he tore the large pieces of concrete off of her body, revealing a woman with long black hair dressed in jeans and a black shirt. "No." He whispered and gently turned her over, her hands falling limply as he moved her, her dirty face falling into his arms. "Rachael wake up." He asked her gently, touching her face with the bare fingers on his partially gloved hand. She didn't move, her face didn't even flinch at his touch. Fear screaming through his mind, his hand flew to her wrist, and failing to find a pulse, her neck where a faint thud hit his fingers. "Hold on." He whispered and hoisted her up into his arms and carried her as fast as he possibly could toward the hospital he had just left.

"Commander Myers!" He heard a cadet call him and he turned, relieved to see the cadet had one of the SUV's with him. Eric made his way for it, keeping his grip on Rachael, who still wasn't moving.

"Get to the hospital as fast as you can drive." He frowned at the cadet as he got himself and Rachael into the backseat. He gripped onto her and the seat as they sped through the city and back to the packed hospital in a matter of minutes. Eric carefully held her as he ran into the tall white building, through the throngs of waiting people and to the nearest stretcher.

"Eric!" Jen's voice carried through the halls and he turned to see her, surprised she was back in their time. "Oh my God." Her eyes were glued to the unconscious Rachael on the stretcher. A few nurses were now swarming her, pulling her toward the ward where a doctor started checking her vitals. "What happened?"

"I don't know." He admitted, his hands resting on his hips. "I found her underneath some concrete, she barely has a pulse." Jen was silent as she watched a nurse pull a curtain between them and Rachael.

"Jen, Eric!" Bronwyn came up in a whirl of blonde hair. "She's not here." Jen pulled her sister to her.

"Eric brought her in, it's not good." Bronwyn's face crumpled into a combination of fear and intense sadness. She ducked her head and pressed it into Jen's shoulder as Jen rubbed her back with her free hand. They were soon joined by Tripp, Wes and Mr. Collins, and after a few minutes of silence between them, they returned to helping people, doing the only think they knew would be helpful.

It was hours before they knew anything about the Delta ranger's condition. Even Alan and Wes weren't getting any information on her condition due to the lack of doctor in the area, as he had so many other patients to attend to. Finally Wes couldn't take it, and grabbed the man's arm as he passed by.

"I need to know about my sister." He demanded and the man frowned, shifting through charts on his hands.

"The black haired girl Commander Myers brought in?" He questioned and when he received a nod continued, "She was severely dehydrated and had multiple wounds, including a break in her left arm. It was mostly exhaustion, and she's been on a heavy flow of electrolytes and an IV since she got here. You got her here in time." He nodded and put on a weak smile. "After spending the night to regain some energy, and surgery for her arm, she'll be perfectly fine. Now if you'll excuse me, I have other patients." He left in a hurry, but they had their answer. A sigh of relief seemed to echo through the rangers, and they went back to helping the dozens of people who were still not cared for.

"Mr. Collins?" A sweet nurse came up to him smiling. "They're prepping your daughter for surgery, they'll be wheeling her out in a minute, you can say something to her before she goes." True to her words, they wheeled Rachael's bed out a few minutes later, the girl looking frail in it, but her face was clean.

"Hey baby." Alan took her hand and leaned next to her face. Rachael's eyes fluttered open and she smiled at her father, sending a wave of joy through him.

"Hey." She whispered her voice hoarse. The smile widened as she saw the rangers gathered around her bed. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry." Wes brushed her bangs back from her face gently. "We're just glad you're ok."

"Me too." Rachael murmured, her eyes closing again, her breathing uneven as she fought the pain. The nurses started moving the stretcher again.

"We'll be here when you get out." Bronwyn said, touching Rachael's hand. "Don't worry." Rachael smiled, but didn't open her eyes. As they moved her into the surgery ward her eyes flicked open and made contact with Eric's for a brief moment before they pushed her through the swinging doors and out of sight.


	9. High, Espanol

**Next Day, Afternoon**

Rachael stood next to Eric as she watched Wes hug their friends good bye. She'd had her turn already, hugging each of them tightly, but she stood back and let Wes have his turn, watching Bronwyn turn her back and enter the time ship gracefully. Rachael's heart felt strong tugs when she saw Jen and Wes embrace each other and whisper soft words to one another that they couldn't hear, but the message was clear. She made to cross her arms over herself, but with a stab of pain remembered her left arm was pinned to her side in a sling, her white cast already signed in permanent markers by the entire team of rangers, minus one dark brooding Quantum Ranger who hadn't come to see her in the hospital after her surgery.

A blast of air hit her in the face and she tried to use her right arm to cover her face, but wasn't too successful, until the air suddenly seemed to stop. Braving to open her eyes, Eric had stepped in front of her to block the wind, only a half a step, but she smiled. He'd come a long way since the arrogant moron he'd been when they started as rangers, this small act of friendship proof of that. As the ship lifted higher into the air, they were able to look up and watch it vanish into the familiar blue time-hole. Then they were gone. Truly gone. Rachael watched her Dad move to Wes' side and lean on his shoulder.

"I've got a business proposition for you." Alan said and Wes rolled his eyes to protest loudly, and Rachael snickered, hearing a similar reaction from Eric. "Just hear me out, hear me out," Alan laughed and started leading Wes to where the large group of Silver Guardians were assembled around Eric and Rachael at the front. "I want to make some changes in the Silver Guardians. Listen to me; we will protect the entire city, for free. I need a good leader." He said meaningfully looking at Wes. "What about it?" Wes only thought for a minute before replying.

"I'll do it, but!" He held up a finger and Alan laughed at the condition. "I want Eric, as my partner." He directed his next thought toward the stunned man. "What do you say?" He held out his hand and Rachael smiled, maybe there was hope for this world yet. That was only confirmed as Eric gripped his hand and they shook on it.

"Would have been my choice." Alan nodded in agreement.

"Well, I think the future looks pretty bright." Wes held up the badge Jen had left into his hand. Rachael stepped forward and slid her right arm under his and rested her cheek on his shoulder as they started walking to where several SUV's stood waiting to take them back down to Silver Hills. Rachael and Wes climbed into the back of one while Eric got in the driver's seat, and Alan the passenger's, for once forgoing his usual limousine. It was a silent ride back to the Silver Guardian headquarters, Rachael climbed out and ended up in a random chair as the men went off to do some kinds of paperwork. A few minutes later, wishing she had her pain medicine, Rachael shifted in the chair and caught sight of Eric leaving her Dad's office and going to his own. Bored to tears, she got up and followed him.

"Hi." She grinned happily at him, not entirely sure whether or not her happiness was normal or induced by the massive amounts of codeine in her bloodstream. Eric stopped and stared at her, clearly wondering the same thing.

"Hi." He said back warily. Rachael sauntered into the room and sat down in his chair before he could, forcing him to stand next to her, hands on his hips.

"I know you're the one that found me." She said happily spinning in the chair, tucking her legs up underneath her to spin in a complete circle. Eric watched her in surprise, his eyes going from her black shorts to her white t-shirt and bare feet.

"Where are your shoes?" He asked, trying to avoid the subject. She looked down at her feet and looked almost surprised at her lack of footwear.

"I don't know, but you're not going to get me off this." She frowned at him. "I could hear you talking to me, telling me to hold on." She stopped spinning and looked up at him seriously. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He mumbled in response, trying to avoid eye contact.

"One more thing and I'll leave you alone." Rachael was grinning again. Eric raised an eyebrow as she slid her arm out of the sling. "Sign it." She pulled a red permanent marker out of her pocket and tossed it to him. Eric pulled his red beret off his head and threw it on the desk as he bent down on his knees and scribbled his name onto the top of her cast near the wrist. "Now the whole team's on there." She said calmly, her eyes looked up at him kneeling next to her and she leaned forward to place a kiss on his cheek. But, startled that she was getting closer to him, he turned to get a better view of what she was doing when her lips collided with his.

They both paused, neither entirely sure of what happening, Rachael because of the effect the meds were having on her and Eric was just too surprised. But they did what any two red blooded people would, they prolonged the kiss, Rachael closing her eyes and adding pressure to his lips. Eric gave in easily and kissed her back, cupping his hand under her ear as her hands went around his neck and into his hair, knocking the ear piece out.

The next thing Rachael was aware of was waking up on the couch in the middle of the living room at the mansion, wrapped up in three warm blankets. She sat up and looked around, her bleary eyes catching sight of another figure sitting with her. "How?" She started, but he answered her without letting her finish the question.

"You came out of Eric's office with a far off look in your face." Wes grinned, shifting in the chair he was sitting in. "Then you started babbling about random things and it took a while, but I got you home, had to lock the passenger's side door to keep you inside." He was laughing now and Rachael frowned. "Then you were all over the house for hours before I found you curled up there completely unconscious."

"Too much codeine." She muttered as she fell back onto the pillows. Wes came over and felt her forehead gently.

"Or maybe too little, you feel warm."

"Maybe because I'm covered in blankets." Rachael retorted, shifting to kick the blankets off of herself, but she felt tired and out of breath easily. Wes helped and removed two, leaving the thinnest one around her. She drifted off to sleep after he forced another of the pain meds down her throat, and he went back to the lounge chair he'd been sitting in, watching her sleep, worried about her health. Rachael was stubborn, nearly as bad as Eric when it came to her health, always wanting to push on and stick it out, but seeing as they had no idea what had exactly happened to her, it was better that she rest. Wes eventually fell asleep, but woke up with gentle prodding from his father.

"Wesley, how long has she had a fever?" He asked urgently. Wes was instantly awake and at Rachael's side. Her face was set in a frown, sweat beading around her face although the air temperature in the room couldn't have been more than seventy.

"She woke up around three this morning." He murmured, touching his sister's arm. Her skin was on fire, not even the thin blanket was on her body anymore, but she was curled up on her right side, her slinged arm tucked closely to her body.

"She needs to go back to the hospital." Alan started moving quickly, grabbing keys and pulling on shoes. Wes did the same before lifting Rachael up in his arms and carrying her out to his car, holding her in the seat with him as they sped back to the place they'd spent the past few days. By the time they got her there she was mumbling in her sleep, unintelligible words that neither could understand.

Using his pull in the community, Alan Collins got his daughter a private room in a matter of minutes after her arrival. It was only six in the morning, and most of the people who'd been there because of the battle had been able to go home, so the huge sterile white building was empty of most short term patients. Two hours later they had no answers, but Eric had showed up after Wes missed his first day of work.

"Is she alright?" He asked with concern.

"We don't know." Alan replied, leaning forward onto his knees, resting his head in his hands. "He's running tests." He referenced the doctor on duty. Eric sat down in a chair uneasily in his uniform, debating whether or not he should leave and work, or stay here with the Collins' while they didn't know anything about Rachael. After he'd been there for an hour he knew his answer had been made by those forbidden feelings he still carried for the young woman.

"Mr. Collins?" The doctor exited Rachael's room and asked for her father who stood up, Wes and Eric stood behind him to listen. "Turns out she had an allergic reaction to the morphine but no one caught it because she didn't display the normal skin rash or nausea. It's rare that she only displayed a fever, but manageable, a few hours of rest and a new prescription for codeine, and she'll be fine."

The men all relaxed, she was fine. And this time they hoped she'd stay fine, visiting her in the hospital was going to really cut into work time for the Silver Guardians. Eric smiled in relief and went into her room with Alan and Wes, standing behind them as they spoke to Rachael. He didn't talk to her, but they made eye contact before he left to go back to work.

**Nine Weeks Later**

"Please reach forward and pick up the ball." A severe looking young woman asked and Rachael nervously used her left arm to pick up the small red ball on the table next to her. "Now toss it between your hands." The woman instructed with a frown. Rachael silently did as she was told, this woman was about her age, maybe only a year or two older than her, but she was scary, probably one of the angriest people she'd ever come across in her life. Even Eric at his worst was more pleasant to be around than this Physical Therapist. The severe woman wrote a few notes in her chart before ripping off a piece of paper and handing it to her. "You're clear." Rachael snatched the paper and was out of the room before the woman could react.

In minutes she was in her car and had the pedal to the floor as she sped to the Silver Guardian's headquarters, pushing the speed limit ever so slightly because the cadets knew her car, they'd never pull her over for fear of getting fired, which was perfectly ok by her. "I'm free!" Rachael shouted as she ran into the room that Eric and Wes now both worked in. She collapsed on her brother and grinned. "No more scary lady!" The two men laughed at her antics as she changed to sitting on one of the extra chairs in the room. The small office had been rearranged to fit two desks with computers, three filing cabinets in the corner and a chair for the unlucky person who gets held there to be questioned.

"Congratulations." Wes leaned back in his chair.

"Thank you." Rachael replied.

"Don't you have work to do?" He asked, glancing out the door to where her desk was with the temp sitting there, staring back at them.

"Not while the temp is still here." Rachael frowned. "And honestly doing secretarial work for you two is not my dream job." She glanced toward Eric who was leaning on his hand watching her curiously. "Nothing personal."

"None taken." He shrugged with the kind of smile that told her he thought she was insane. But that was accurate, so there was no point in arguing at all.

"Well what else are you going to do?" Wes asked curiously as she shrugged.

"I don't know, talk to Dad about travelling I think." Rachael laughed. "You know, go abroad like I was supposed to in the first place. I don't know." She shrugged and got up to leave the room. "I guess we'll see where this year takes us."

**One Year Later**

Wes grinned into the phone that was glued to his ear. "Yeah, then Ransik was completely human, he looked really good." He explained and heard a sigh of jealousy from the other end.

"I wish I could have been there." Rachael's voice came through. "Bronwyn wasn't there though, right?"

"No, just Jen, Lucas, Tripp and Katie." Wes replied. He'd spent the better part of the last hour telling her every detail of his past two days meeting the Wild Force rangers and spending time with their friends. They'd defeated mutorgs, and spent some good time together afterwards before, once again, their friends had to return to their own time.

"I miss you guys." Rachael's voice sounded happier on the phone than sad. "I mean it's been a year since I've seen them or Bronwyn, but I miss you too."

"And we missed you today; Jen said she hasn't heard from Bronwyn in a while either." Wes replied.

"Has Lucas heard from her?" Rachael asked with a hint of teasing in her voice.

"I didn't ask, why would Lucas have heard from her?" Wes asked thickly.

"Use your brain Wes." Rachael said almost annoyed. Eric chuckled as he listened to the siblings talk. "See? Even Eric knows what I'm talking about." Wes sent his friend a look. They were supposed to be doing their paperwork, but since Wes was on the phone, Eric was taking care of things while listening to him explain their day to Rachael.

"Bronwyn and Lucas? No way."

"Yes dummy." Rachael replied with a laugh.

"Whatever, how's Barcelona?" Wes changed the subject off of himself with a frown at Eric.

"Beautiful, I didn't think I'd like teaching." Rachael continued. "But I mean I'm teaching English in Spain, but it still means dealing with the annoying kids that sat in the back off the class and didn't pay attention. It's like teaching you." Wes frowned again as Eric snorted with laughter and Rachael laughed at making Eric laugh.

"Ok, that's it, you two are not going to pick on me thousands of miles away from each other, I think I liked it better when you argued." Wes leaned forward.

"Well we argue in the same room, and we get along miles apart, you can't have it both ways Wes." Rachael chided her brother. "Look, it's like one o'clock in the morning and I have school tomorrow morning."

"Alright Rach, I love you." Wes laughed and glanced up at the clock. Seven at night, another late night, but this one he didn't mind so much.

"Love you to bro, bye Eric." She called.

"Bye." Eric said the one syllable halfheartedly and only Wes heard her laugh.

"Bye." Her end of the line went dead.

A half an hour later Eric entered his house and threw his things down on the kitchen table, throwing his jacket and other things on the chair. In a few minutes he was dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt and sat down across from the television with a beer, trying to relax, but his mind was racing. It had been months since he'd seen Rachael and he was hoping that it meant he could get over her and move on and today was a good sign of that.

Taylor was pretty, blonde, stubborn and all around entertaining to annoy as he had by stealing the book she'd been trying to read. Maybe he needed to distract himself from Rachael by seeing someone else, and maybe Taylor was that girl. Glancing at the clock he grabbed his phone, dialing the blonde's number before it got too late.

**Barcelona, Spain**

Rachael took a deep breath and smiled as she set her phone down in its cradle. Yawning widely, she took the last long drag of her decaffeinated tea and put it into the tiny sink in her tiny kitchen of her tiny flat. But it was home, a nice little home that she'd made for herself as she was living in this foreign country, making a little bit of a home here, although she was cripplingly bad at Spanish. Stretching her limbs, she went into her room to collapse onto her bed, face first into her pillow, not even bothering to turn on the light. Which seemed to be a poor decision as she suddenly felt movement next to her in bed. Heart pounding, Rachael immediately pinned the person down in the bed, battling in the dark, easily getting whoever it was pinned beneath her, their arm twisted behind their back.

"Ow! God Rachael uncle!" The woman cried beneath her, laughing as she tried to struggle free. Rachael immediately released her, scrambling off of the bed and to the small bedside lamp and promptly retackled the girl on the bed.

"Bronwyn!" She yelled happily, and with loud thudding from the apartment next door, laughed before sitting upright on her bed, facing her best friend who leaned over and properly embraced her. "I missed you." She said softly.

"I missed you too." Bronwyn squeezed her tightly before pulling back. "And we have so much to talk about." She smiled but yawned. "But I'm exhausted, mind if we talk in the morning?"

"No." Rachael yawned too and the girls got ready for bed, getting into Rachael's bed, talking and laughing until they fell asleep.

**Morning**

Rachael grinned at her best friend asleep in her bed. She took a mug of hot coffee and waved it under the blonde's nose, perking her up and awake.

"Come on sleeping beauty, I have work today." Rachael sang brightly and Bronwyn grumbled, but sat up and took the coffee in both hands.

"When is your work done?" Bronwyn finally managed to speak halfway through eating the plate of pancakes Rachael had set in front of her.

"I only teach part time, the other part I study myself." Rachael replied, "But my studying can wait for you." She laughed at the tired girl. Bronwyn had never been a morning person; she hated waking up before noon, while Rachael could be up and wide awake by seven. "Want to come to work with me?"

"Do I have to wear my red wig?" The girls laughed at the joke, and Rachael gathered her things while Bronwyn dressed for the day. All day she sat in the back corner of the classroom while Rachael taught a group of adults how to speak English, trying her best to communicate through the language barrier. She wasn't alone, working with several other teachers, but she looked happy. Rachael had a place here, even if she wasn't the best at speaking Spanish. One of the younger members of the class, a girl who couldn't have been any more than fourteen, brought in some food and came back and offered some to Bronwyn.

"¿Quieres un poco?" She asked sweetly, but Bronwyn didn't understand, even the little Spanish she knew didn't help her with that.

"She asked if you wanted some." Rachael translated from across the room, smiling as she bit into the stick like food herself. Bronwyn nodded and smiled, taking a piece before looking embarrassed at her friend.

"What are they?"

"Churros!" Rachael said happily. "And if you haven't had them before, these are the best I've ever had. Alameda makes them herself." The girl nodded and motioned for Bronwyn to eat one and the blonde took a careful bite, her face transforming as she tasted it.

"It's delicious! Bueno!" She tried out her Spanish and Alameda smiled happily and turned back to her seat. Rachael laughed as they finished their little snack and finished the class on a high note. Bronwyn and Rachael left the school just past noon and went to a local restaurant where Rachael managed to order them some food.

"So, what brings you here?" Rachael finally asked, getting the heavy question out of the way.

"That's the longest part." Bronwyn frowned. "Short version is that Time Force needs our help with something so, Lieutenant, you're my partner again."

"Does this mean we get to fight again?" Rachael's expression was more amused than anything else.

"Not exactly, but it's a fun load of work." Bronwyn rolled her eyes. "That and I hear we missed a team up and I figured we deserve to see at least each other."

"Wes called and told me about it yesterday. Actually that's what I was doing before I almost had a heart attack from finding someone in my bed." Rachael laughed. "He sounded really happy, probably because he'd just seen Jen."

"Probably." Bronwyn frowned. "Ever since she gave Alex back the ring, she's been kinda sad, just working and spending time with the team and me." She shrugged. "Not that that's any different from before, but Alex is pissed off all the time."

"And there's nothing wrong with that." Rachael grinned. Their mutual hate for Alex was another reason they had bonded into best friends so quickly. "Am I going to have to leave Spain?" Rachael asked solemnly after a few seconds of silence.

"Yeah." Bronwyn nodded. "We need to go back to Millennium City for a while, and then we'll do a little time travelling before you can come back to your present time."

"Sounds intense." Rachael leaned back in her chair as the waiter brought them their food. "I don't want to worry Wes or my Dad though."

"They didn't worry about you before." Bronwyn frowned.

"Yeah well since you guys have been here I've spent more time in the hospital than normal." She frowned. "I went back the day after you left."

"Why?"

"I had a high fever; apparently it's a delayed reaction to a morphine allergy. Dad and Wes now treat me as if I'm made of glass." She laughed. "Glass that is living on another continent."

"Nice." Bronwyn smiled as she took a bite of her lunch. "This food is amazing, I'm sorry I have to take you back to the land of mashed up nutrients." She said sympathetically.

"I've had my fill." Rachael tilted her head. "I'm just upset I'm not better at Spanish! I've been here almost a year and I can survive conversationally, but I'm not fluent yet."

"You can keep studying in Millennium City." Bronwyn offered. "I'm sure we have some way to learn the old languages."

"Old languages?" Rachael stared. "Really? No one speaks Spanish anymore?"

"Well, not really." Bronwyn frowned. "It's kinda sad really."

"I'll say." Rachael frowned at her friend and dove deeper into her plate of food, eating it like a last meal, because in a sense it was for a while.


	10. Offers and Pride

**Silver Hills, Six Months Later**

Eric sat on the giant wooden spool that sat in his front yard near where the birdcage hung. His eyes watched the two little birds inside flying around each other, playing their little game. It was almost like tag, at least the best tag little birds could play.

"Hi Eric!" A happy little voice called from behind him and Eric smiled gently at the little girl as she immediately looked at the cage. "How are they doing today?" She asked.

"They're good this morning, Alice." Eric replied with a smile. Alice lived next door to him with her single mom. The woman worked a lot, and when Alice wasn't in school she'd be either home alone, or would come over and watch Eric's birds.

"I like Saturdays." Alice commented as she watched the two little birds playing with each other.

"Why's that?" Eric asked her.

"No school." Alice grinned and wrinkled her nose at the same time. "Do you have to work on Saturdays?"

"Sometimes." Eric replied. "But not today."

"That's cool." Alice frowned. "But I think everyone should get a day off."

"Most people do." Eric said, watching her.

"My Mom doesn't, and when she does, she spends the whole day working on laundry and stuff. I wish we could just go away for a day." She said wistfully.

"I'm sure you guys will get a chance to do that someday." Eric tried to comfort her. "Your mom is busy with her new business, some day it'll be successful and she'll have more free time."

"I know." Alice frowned.

"Hey guys." A female voice came from Eric's driveway and he did a double take in surprise at who was walking toward him. It was Rachael's black corvette that sat there, but the woman who walked toward him had shoulder length blonde hair.

"Bronwyn?" He asked and she smiled.

"Hey, who's this?" She looked to Alice and extended her hand.

"I'm Alice, are you Eric's girlfriend?" She asked curiously. Bronwyn laughed.

"Haha, no, I have a boyfriend, I'm Bronwyn." Eric's eyebrows raised and she blushed. "Lucas." She shrugged.

"Oh, Eric needs a girlfriend." Alice nodded and Eric's head fell into his hands. Bronwyn looked like she was trying to hold back laughter.

"Does he now?"

"Yep, it's not healthy to be alone." Alice nodded. "That's why my Mom has me." She grinned and glanced at her house. "I'd better go do my chores before she gets home. Bye!" She waved to the two adults and the birds before running around the fence and into her house.

"She's cute." Bronwyn tucked her lips into her mouth to keep from laughing.

"Yeah." Eric frowned. "What are you doing here?" He glanced at Rachael's car.

"Recruiting you."

"For?"

"Well it's no fun if I just tell you." She grinned. "Come on, Rachael's getting Wes." She turned on the heel of her flip flops and started back for Rachael's car. Eric didn't move and Bronwyn frowned at him. "I'll let you drive." Eric finally moved and went into his house to grab his wallet before getting in the driver's seat of the shining black sportscar. "Pedal to the metal." Bronwyn grinned. "Driving is a lot more fun with these old cars." Eric snorted at her comment and revved the engine, keeping to the speed limit, annoying Bronwyn.

"Hola." Bronwyn called as they went into the Collins mansion.

"Hola to you too." Rachael yelled back from another part of the house and they followed the sound of her voice to one of the back rooms. The room was like a study, books lined every wall of the room, floor to ceiling. Wes and Rachael were in the middle at a huge oak table, both leaning over a communication screen that had yet to be connected. Rachael looked up and Eric had to force himself to keep walking with Bronwyn. A year in Spain had somehow made her even more beautiful. Her skin was tanned from the sunshine, and her hair had been cut shorter, feathered bangs around her face and reaching down just past her shoulders, but her face itself surprised him. While in her teen years she could have been described as 'emo', her face was clean of dark make-up and she now looked more like a young woman than anything else.

"Hey." She smiled at him and he nodded back, crossing his arms as he came to stand behind her.

"So you two are together again." He glanced between the two girls.

"I stole her from Barcelona, barely recognized her." Bronwyn grinned at her best friend who rolled her eyes.

"Just because I grew up a little." Rachael brought up a spinning emblem on the screen. It was a badge with three letters on it spelling SPD. "Ready?"

"Go for it."

"Go for what?" Wes asked, but the emblem started spinning and disappeared revealing a large blue dog in its place. Both Wes and Eric were startled and stepped back but Rachael grinned.

"Hello Commander Cruger." She nodded.

"Lieutenant Collins." The dog spoke, nodding to her and then acknowledged Bronwyn. "Lieutenant Scotts."

"Commander." Bronwyn greeted him. "These are the two we were talking about, Wesley Collins, and Eric Myers." She gestured to each of the guys who nodded, still taken aback by a talking dog. Rachael turned around and started to explain.

"Commander Anubis Cruger is a part of a police organization that operates from the farther regions of this galaxy and the next one." She explained. "They're interested in putting a base here on Earth, and contacted us through Time Force to help them."

"They picked us?" Wes asked with knit brows.

"Us and a few other former rangers." Rachael nodded. "We've been invited to tour the Alpha Base."

"Yes, it would be our pleasure to show you our operation as we hope you'll be inclined to help us protect your planet. Your planet has been chosen due to the successive attacks from the past eight years, adding you to our SPD arsenal, we feel it would be beneficial to us and you." Commander Cruger said from the screen. "Andros of KO-35 will be bringing by his Astro Megaship Mach 2 to bring you within the next week."

"We'll be at NASADA then." Rachael nodded in agreement. "Good bye until then."

"Good bye and good luck rangers." Cruger nodded and disappeared from the screen as the SPD emblem returned.

"That was interesting." Wes looked as if he'd just experienced the weirdest thing in his life.

"That was a talking dog." Eric said looking between the girls who were smiling.

"Rachael's face was pretty funny when she first met him too." Bronwyn giggled as Rachael rolled her eyes. "I'm kinda used to seeing aliens."

"Well aren't you lucky." The dark haired girl wrinkled her nose as she started packing up the things. "I'm excited to see the base." She grinned as Wes helped her pack. "From what we figure, it'll be a great addition to the protection of Earth, something along the lines of Lightspeed Rescue on a much larger scale."

"I liked the Lightspeed Rangers." Wes commented thoughtfully. "We just saw Carter." He looked at Eric who shook his head at Wes.

"You weren't supposed to mention that." He muttered and looked at Rachael and Bronwyn who both looked curiously at them.

"Oh yeah." Wes grinned.

"You did that on purpose." Eric accused with a frown.

"Yeah he did." Rachael laughed, "Now spill." Wes launched into a full account of their Forever Red Mission, all the details of seeing the past red rangers and seeing the newest one, Cole, again. Eric even put in some details, keeping Wes' story accurate.

**One Week Later, Astro Megaship**

Rachael sat in one of the chairs on the bridge of the newer model of the Astro megaship, thrilled to be in space for the first time. Time travelling had gotten old since she'd done it so many times, but space was something different entirely, and although Bronwyn would never want to admit it, she was excited too. At NASADA they'd met Andros and his wife Ashley, his sister Karone and her boyfriend Leo Corbett on the ship. After waiting for a while one of the Wild Force rangers, Danny Delgado showed up with former yellow ranger Tanya Sloan. It was an odd combination of people, but Tommy Oliver was meeting them at Alpha Base later along with a few other former rangers.

Trying to be social with the former rangers, Rachael went over to Tanya, Karone and Ashley to try and make conversation. The three women welcomed her warmly as they started talking, Bronwyn coming over a few minutes after. Ashley's hands were wrapped carefully around her largely pregnant belly, a look of pure joy on her face.

"Andros didn't want me to come." She smiled and looked down. "But I wouldn't let him leave me." She grinned widely looking at the other girls who laughed. "Only a month left, I'm not letting him out of my sight."

"I don't blame you." Karone nodded at her sister-in-law. "Having you here distracts him from how much he distrusts Leo." She rolled her eyes.

"Why doesn't he like Leo? He seems like a nice guy to me." Tanya asked curiously.

"I'm his little sister, and after me being, well Astronema, he's a little protective." Karone blushed a little.

"Oh older brothers." Rachael rolled her eyes. "Wes hasn't let me break a nail since I broke my arm in our last battle."

"Oh yeah, right before you almost died twice." Bronwyn frowned at her and they laughed together, sharing stories of stubborn red rangers and their many near death experiences as rangers.

Eric watched the girls laugh out of the corner of his eye as he sat with Wes, Andros and Leo. Rachael looked happy, making him mentally sigh; there was no getting over that girl. He'd gone out with Taylor probably twice, the first was pretty good, giving him a little hope, but she was uneasy around him, and he with her. Their second date had the pretenses vanish and they both realized nothing was ever going to come from this, so they said their farewells early and Eric retired to his little house to watch a hockey game and wonder what Rachael was doing. He thought about the one kiss they'd shared a lot. When she'd woken up in the hospital the next day, she said she didn't remember anything that had happened the day before, even the other rangers leaving was a surprise to her. Eric had been crushed she didn't remember it, but after days of thinking about it, he decided it was better that way, she went to Spain and he stayed, watching Wes have what he needed.

Apparently before saying good bye to Jen, she and Wes had agreed that they weren't going to be able to have a relationship over a thousand years, and that it would be best for them to try and see other people. Wes hadn't gone out at all, but, as luck would have it, he literally ran a girl over when he was out on a day off. Courtney was a very pretty girl who was Rachael's age, only a year or so younger than him, and her calm manner was just what Wes needed in Eric's opinion. He was goofily happy whenever he went out with her, and just made him even happier all the time, which meant that Eric had to deal with him in close quarters about it.

"Anyone know the current team?" Andros asked with a crease in his forehead, the comment bringing Eric back from his thoughts, tearing his eyes away from the dark beauty.

"No, I haven't heard anything since we stopped." Danny shook his head. Leo frowned and leaned against the computer consol with a thoughtful look.

"I think I heard there've been some things going on in Blue Bay Harbor." He said, "I don't know if they're rangers, I think so though."

"Blue Bay Harbor." Wes repeated. "I haven't been there."

"That's impressive when your father owns most of California." Eric quipped quickly, getting a frown from Wes but grins from the other three.

"There it is." Andros announced. They'd been travelling for four hours at the fastest speed the megaship could reach, and now they were in eyeshot of the planet. The girls came over to look out the large window to see it. Rachael stood between Eric and Wes, her eyes glued to this planet she'd never even heard of until the last few days.

"Wow." She whispered at the planet that was still pretty far away, but at least now in their sights. He found it hard to watch the planet instead of her, but Eric managed to look out to the amusement of Ashley, Andros, Karone, and Leo who were all seasoned space travelers. "It's strange that I think of time travel as nothing, but this makes me stare in awe." She smiled at the absurdity. Eric couldn't help but smile with her; she was so pretty when she smiled.

"That's a very interesting way to look at it." He commented, looking at her with a smile.

"And you don't look half as bad when you're smiling." Rachael lifted her one shoulder at him before turning back and returning to where Ashley was sitting. Eric watched her go and shook his head to try and clear it of whatever confusion the dark haired beauty was causing in his mind. God he loved her.

Hours later they entered the planet's atmosphere, and soon landed in the large open docking bay the huge base had set up around them. Bronwyn hooked her arm through Rachael's, nerves shaking through her. Rachael laughed.

"Don't you know what happens here?"

"Yeah, that's why I'm nervous." She frowned and Rachael's mood instantly changed at her friend's comment. If Bronwyn was nervous that meant something was going to happen to affect their futures, but it wouldn't be too terrible if she was still going with them.

"Welcome to SPD." Andros said finally as he shut down the Megaship.

"Let's do this." Ashley tried to stand, but a look of pain crossed her face, Andros at her side in an instant.

"Maybe you should stay onboard." He frowned as she shook her head stubbornly.

"You should." Leo agreed and looked to Karone. "You stay with her?" The blonde nodded.

"I don't need to see a base, just take some pictures for me." Karone smiled and took Ashley's arm, forcing her to sit down again. Defeated from weariness, Ashley sat down and laid her hand over her large stomach and nodded as Andros kissed her head and went to the door with the other rangers.

"Thank you." He muttered to Leo as he passed him without looking. Leo grinned as Wes came up next to him, laughing and taking his fellow red ranger by the shoulder. They didn't walk far before seeing many different creatures in the concourse, most of the Terran rangers seeing them for the first time. Rachael and Bronwyn were still arm in arm, Tanya following them near as Andros, Leo, Eric, and Wes walked in front of them.

"Guys!" They all turned to see Tommy coming down the steps toward them.

"Tommy." The four red rangers shook hands with their colleague before hugging Tanya and introducing himself to Rachael and Bronwyn.

"This way, Commander Cruger said he'd meet us upstairs in the lab, they're busy working on morpher prototypes." He motioned with his head for her to follow him and they did, winding through the metallic hallways past many cadets, all different shapes sizes and colors. Going into the lab Rachael felt out of place, her father owned labs, but she never liked them. The labs were the reason he'd been a workaholic and never been around for her and Wes after their mother died. She knew he felt the same way from the glance he gave her as they went in.

"Hello." The large blue dog from the video screen came forward and shook hands with each of them and gestured behind him to a feline looking woman. "I am Commander Anubis Cruger, and this is my assistant Dr. Katherine Manx."

"Pleasure." The feline said stiffly, nodding instead of extending her hand.

"We are in the process of creating the morphers that will soon be used to create ranger teams all over the galaxy." He began explaining, and didn't stop, going on a long winded explanation about how they should allow SPD to have an Earth Branch, and so on. Rachael gave up listening, instead watching the several people working in the room. A very handsome looking man had his eyes completely on Tanya, watching her every move, and grinning awkwardly when she caught him looking. There was a woman with dark curling brown hair falling around her head focusing perfectly on her work, not looking up once to look at the visitors, but occasionally looking annoyed that they were there with little twitches of her eyes. Rachael would usually assume this meant she was single, but a sparkling diamond on her third finger told her otherwise.

"Gavin?" Dr. Manx interrupted Rachael's thoughts as she addressed the man who was barely focusing on his work. "Could you go to the basement and get the Idonium Nine that we need?" She pointed to the chemicals laid out in front of her.

"Sure thing." He grinned at Kat and winked at Tanya before disappearing out of the room. A few seconds later the severe woman was pouring chemicals together and a weird type of vibration echoed through the room. Kat looked at them all, she'd felt it, but didn't know what. Rachael's hand flew to her stomach and her eyes to Bronwyn who was frowning with her eyes shut.

"That didn't hurt like I thought it would." She whispered quietly.

"What was that?" Rachael hissed.

"I can't say." Bronwyn shook her head. "The only reason I knew was because it's common knowledge where I'm from." She blinked a few times. "It'll all be fine."

"Are you all alright?" Cruger said concerned for the visitors.

"Yeah." Wes responded oddly, frowning while looking at his friends. "What was that?"

"I'm not sure, Dr. Manx?" Cruger asked in almost a legitimate growl. He didn't just look like a dog; he was definitely a dog based alien with similar characteristics. Kat was shaking her head while examining the chemicals the dark curly haired woman had mixed.

"I don't know." She sounded panicked. "The chemicals Adriana mixed for power leveling seemed to react with the fumes from Gavin's compounds for energy conservation."

"And that means?" Eric snapped he felt weird. It felt like chills had gone down his spine, but they were a warm pleasant feeling that was just weird.

"I don't know." Kat shrugged. "If you all felt something, I'll need samples to figure it out for sure, and even then I don't know what I'm looking for."

"And you want us to let you onto our planet?" Leo shook his head. "We don't need you coming to our planet, messing with our lives more."

"I agree." Wes shook his head. "I was onboard until this happened. I don't need to see the rest of the base; I'm going back to the Megaship."

"I'm with you." Rachael nodded, and Bronwyn silently stood by her. Commander Cruger looked as if his hopes were crashing around him and he had no control over it. But this was something even the most trusting of them were uneasy about. Tommy was shaking his head slowly, and started backing out of the room, the other former rangers following slowly and proudly, their heads held high as they exited the facility.

(Short, but totally worth it as I'm sure you could all tell exactly what just happened there, it comes in handy with my impending sequel, which will take an eternity to get posted, so don't be too anxious)


	11. Risque

**Four Months Later**

Rachael sighed deeply and kept spinning in her chair, and playing idly with her pen. Everyone had gone home from the office, leaving her all alone at her reception desk. She was resenting going home to that huge mansion, the huge empty building, void of life and happiness without the driving force that is her slightly older brother.

"You still here?"

Rachael jumped and her pen hit the floor as Eric's voice cut into the room. Void of its usual coldness, he sounded more curious than anything. She felt her face redden but kept her cool in front of him.

"I was just leaving." She said standing and grabbing her backpack and walking out the door with a simple 'good bye'. Eric watched her go curiously. She looked miserable for some reason today, although she looked beautiful as always. Rachael's hair hung straight down her back in its raven black sheens, and her green-brown eyes glittered as always. Ever since she'd started working for the Silver Guardians as their receptionist while doubling as a Time Force Lieutenant to the future with constant communication with Bronwyn, she'd been a driving force there keeping everyone's spirits high.

Eric sighed and picked up his things, it had been quiet all week with Wes and Mr. Collins both across the country for a large business meeting that lasted all week. It was only Monday and the day had been quiet without Wes' constant chatter, and Eric had to admit, he sort of missed it. He got into his SUV and revved the engine and started down the road, before seeing a certain dark haired girl dressed in jeans and a hoodie over a button down shirt. He pulled up next to her and stopped.

"What are you doing?"

"Walking."

Eric bit his lip to keep from snapping back. "Where's your car?"

"Shop."

"How'd you get in this morning?"

"Libby."

Rachael kept walking throughout her one word answers and Eric crawled next to her in his Silver Guardians SUV.

"Get in."

That made her stop and she looked at him, her arms coming uncrossed. "What?"

"I said get in; I'll give you a ride." She hesitated but he rolled his eyes and stopped the car. "It's four miles Rachael, just let me give you a ride." She hesitated for a moment to weigh her options but eventually without a word she walked in front of the car and got into the passenger's seat and he drove off. "Why did you stay so late anyway?" He asked. Libby, one of the few female members on the force had left at the same time she always did, but Rachael had stuck around.

"I didn't want to go home." Rachael said softly as she stared out the window of his SUV. "Dad and Wes are out of town, and I hate that stupid mansion." Eric drove silently and Rachael looked out the window and sighed. After a minute he pulled into the driveway of a small ranch house. "Where are we?" She protested.

"My house." He said, turning off the car and climbing out. Rachael's mouth dropped open and she opened her door and ran to face him before he got inside. She stuck her head next to his.

"I thought you said you were taking me home?" He stuck his face closer to hers.

"I thought you said you didn't want to go home?"

Rachael pursed her mouth and he walked past her and inside. She followed him inside and looked around the house. It was small, but wonderfully decorated, as if a woman had done it. "Nice house." She commented, hoping to sound a little encouraging. Eric turned to her from where he was putting his stuff.

"My sister decorated it."

"You have a sister?" She said interested. Eric nodded.

"She's a lot older than me; she's got four kids of her own already." He explained. "I'm going to change, just sit down or something. She nodded and he left for his bedroom.

Once alone, he mentally chided himself for bringing her here. He was helping a friend, that's it. The memories of their one and only kiss lingered in his mind as he calmed himself down enough to change into jeans and a closely fitted crimson red t-shirt and returned to the kitchen. Rachael had sat herself down in one of the kitchen chairs and had a cell phone to her ear and looked thoroughly miserable again, her head resting on her hand.

"No." She said, anger rising in her voice. "Look, just stop calling me alright?" She pulled her phone from her ear and slammed it shut. She looked up and saw Eric standing there. "Sorry." She whispered.

"Who was it?" Eric asked, almost instantly aware that he was asking a bit much from her, but she rolled her eyes.

"That stupid guy my dad keeps trying to set me up with." She said angrily. Eric nodded understandingly and went to the fridge. It took everything in him to not grin at the memory of helping her escape a date with that stiff.

"I don't have much, what do you want?" He glanced back at her. She was a rich girl, most likely didn't want to know he practically existed on waffle mix.

"Whatever you have, I'm not picky about food." She smiled at him. And he turned back to the fridge and saw the amount of food he actually had.

"How do you like breakfast?" He grimaced and looked back at her with an awkward smile.

"Love it, what are you thinking?"

"Omelets?"

"Perfect." She smiled and Eric pulled out eggs, cheese, and ham. After fifteen minutes he set a yellow Omelet in front of her with a glass of water as well. They ate and talked for a while and minutes later she finished and sat back in her chair with a smile. "That was good."

"That was nothing." Eric grinned, "If I ever actually have food here, I can make something much better." He stood and grabbed her plate and his own and took them to the sink his heart racing at the thought of the date he'd just asked her on, even if it was informal. She took the glasses and they started washing the dishes together, still talking and laughing, mainly at the stories Rachael was telling about Wes as a child. After a bit they lapsed into comfortable silence, him washing and her drying.

"Thanks for dinner." She smiled at Eric brightly. He smiled and handed her the last dish which she dried and set down, fully aware of the fact he wasn't taking his eyes from her. She looked up into his dark brown eyes and he looked back and she noticed how close they were. Taking a chance, he stepped forward, closing the space between them, almost feeling her heart quicken. "Eric." She whispered, her voice coming out harsh and quiet.

"Rachael." He whispered back in her ear. She shivered at his words and how soft he was being. Rachael's heart almost stopped and jumped out of her chest at the same time.

"Oh Eric." She pulled her face back to look at his again. She lifted her face the few centimeters to his and their lips touched. He pressed back and their kiss deepened as he slid his tongue between their lips and rubbed against her teeth until she allowed him entry. He settled his hands on her waist and pulled her backwards without releasing her the few feet into his bedroom and let her fall gently onto his bed, and he settled his weight on her as they continued kissing.

Rachael opened her eyes slowly, and yawned, stretching her hands out. Then she realized she was completely naked. Pulling her sheets up around her she also realized something else very important. She wasn't in her room or any room in her own house for that matter. Rolling over to her right she saw the sleeping form of Eric next to her and the memories of the previous night filled her brain. She had slept with her brother's best friend and co-worker, and not even just once. Their night had been long and the memories made her blush lying in his bed.

And she didn't regret it. She rolled over slightly and stared at the ceiling. Why didn't she regret it? Because she'd had a crush on Eric since she met him at that one Christmas all those years ago despite the way they acted in front of others. And something had finally happened between them, a little rushed but she would never regret it. He rolled over and their eyes met.

"Morning." He murmured softly, for all his bulk and muscles, he looked truly vulnerable.

"Hey." She whispered, her eyes flickering up and down. A light smile spread on her face and she adjusted the covers around her chest. Eric blushed deep red watching her adjust her coverings and made sure he was at least covered from his waist down. "What time is it?" She whispered again. Eric checked the bright digital display on his clock.

"Almost seven." He groaned; the both had to be at work by 8. He leaned forward and sat up and reached to the ground to find his boxers. Rachael turned away from him and he got up quickly and grabbed some clothing before leaving the room. She sat straight up and slipped into his shower, and after a minute exited and dressed in her clothes from the previous day, with each step remembering the night before. She left the room with one last glance at the messed up bed.

"Hey." Eric said from the kitchen counter, grabbing things and placing them on the table. Rachael laughed at the cereal and milk he'd put out.

"I see you eat breakfast a lot."

"Yeah." He grinned, cutting into the awkward silence. They sat across from each other and ate slowly; occasionally catching each others' eyes and ten minutes later both had eaten their fill. "I guess I should take you home to get changed."

"Yeah, I think someone would notice." Rachael blushed lightly. He turned to leave and she grabbed his arm and pulled him back to face her. "Do you regret this?" She said pointedly. Eric looked at her determined face and looked to the floor. She released his arm and her heart sank. Eric looked up again and into her glistening eyes.

"No." He replied. "I don't, because…" His voice trailed off and they looked into each other's eyes. "I love you. I've loved you for a long time." He exhaled and waited for her reaction. He'd just put out his feelings and had no idea what she would do.

Rachael was stunned. He had just admitted to loving her, and she couldn't say anything. He was starting to shift uncomfortably and she grabbed his arm again and slipped into his arms. "I love you too." They stood there for a while until she pulled back. "We should go." She wiped her face off and he opened the door.

"We'll talk at dinner."

The unspoken invitation that she would be there for dinner hung in the air and both knew it. Rachael followed him to his SUV and they pulled up to the back of the house where she went in the service entrance and slipped up to her room. She changed quickly and after a quick second thought, she grabbed another set of clothing and slid it into her backpack along with her hairbrush and toothbrush. She ran downstairs and threw her bag in the backseat and rode with him to the Silver Guardian's headquarters.

All day at work, all Rachael could think about was Eric. She would randomly see him and he would catch her eye and grin, much different from the more stoic and severe Eric that was usually seen. Maybe Wes brought out the negative in him. She laughed at the thought, and, as if on cue, her phone rang.

"Hello, Silver Hills Silver Guardians, what can I do for you?" She said, turning on her headpiece with a casual flick of her finger.

"Hi, I would like to speak with my sister, but you sound way too professional to be her."

"Curl up and die Wes." Rachael smiled brightly at the sound of her brother's voice.

"How's life in Californy?" He asked with a grin. "Boston is cold. Nice, but cold."

"Life's good. The sky's blue as ever and I can't wait to get my car back." She said conversationally. She loved to drive around in her convertible, an 18th birthday present from her father.

"I heard he called you." Wes' voice was wary because he knew how angry she was over it. She huffed angrily.

"Yes. Why can't he just leave me alone? I think I've told him a million times I don't want to see him."

"I know, I'm sorry Rach, I'll talk to him later, but he's always around Dad and I can't catch him."

"It's fine Wes, really. I'll make myself crystal clear next time he calls."

"Alright, I've got to head out, another meeting." Wes' voice was less anxious now. After saying their good-byes Rachael smiled and hung up the phone and went back to her job, barely hanging on until quitting time. Libby offered her a ride but she refused it and waited. Eric hadn't come out of his office for hours and she was getting nervous about it all. But, minutes later he left his office, things in hand and stopped at her desk.

"Ready?"

Rachael could barely suppress a smile as she stood and gathered her things to follow him out to his car. They made small talk all the way to his house and inside, through dinner, a simple chicken this time, and the dishes. Afterward they stood facing each other, falling into an awkward silence. Eric stepped forward and caught her hips in his hands and guided her closer to him. She let him and leaned up and kissed him deeply, his hands sliding up her back and hers hooking around his neck. They broke apart and their foreheads met, Rachael ducking her head slightly.

"I've loved you for so long." Eric whispered his mouth very close to hers. "Ever since that Christmas Wes invited me to your house and I saw you. I haven't been able to forget you."

Rachael smiled softly. "You were so cute then." She laughed. "I kept hoping to catch you under the mistletoe. But you always dodged me."

"Never again." He murmured, kissing her again. "I love you."

"I love you too." She said softly, hugging him tightly. Then she laughed. "Wes is never going to believe this." Eric laughed too and Rachael closed her eyes and laying her head on his chest to feel his warmth.

"He'll just have to deal with it." Eric said, the normal toughness returning to his voice.

"Hey, both of us can kick his ass in a sparring match." Both of them laughed loudly at that comment and pulled out of their embrace.

"Should I take you home?" He asked softly, looking in her eyes. Rachael grinned and blushed.

"You don't have to." She said coyly. Grabbing her backpack, she pulled showed him her change of clothes and he pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head gently.

**Next Morning**

Bright sunlight shone in the window and directly on Rachael's face. The warmth made her open her eyes and she moved slightly, realizing she was lying on top of another person. She smiled at Eric's protective hold on her as he slept peacefully. Like yesterday, neither was clothed and she felt her head rise and fall with his breathing. A quick glance at the digital clock told her she should be getting up and in the shower before he woke up. She slipped up and out of the room after quickly grabbing her things.

Minutes later she left the bathroom, dressed and ready for another day at work. Eric went into the bathroom behind her and she got out the things and started throwing some things together for breakfast.

"What're you doing?" Eric asked as he came out of the bathroom and slid up behind her. Rachael grinned.

"Making breakfast." She smiled and turned to give him a kiss, then turned back to the food while he sat down. After piling it on plates she turned back to him and gave him his. "Ham, eggs and toast." She smiled.

"Tonight, I'll take you for some real food, not just breakfast." Eric said as she sat down. Rachael looked up and grinned.

"I have to get my car this morning, so I'll meet you somewhere?" Their conversation was as comfortable as if they'd been dating for years or were even married. In two days they were already comfortable, without the outside recognition by anyone else. They agreed to meet at the local Italian restaurant later that night after work.

Eric couldn't stop thinking about Rachael all day long. He truly loved her but had no idea how Mr. Collins would take him and her together. Mainly hoping that the family patriarch would take his only daughter's feelings into consideration, Eric could only cherish the time from now until the time the male Collins' returned from Boston. Wes, on the other hand, would love his sister and friend together. Shrill giggling from outside of his office drew his attention and he slipped over to the doorway and listened to the conversation on the other side.

"… and I heard she hasn't spent a single night at the mansion all week." One of the girls whispered to the other two.

"No… Rachael is such a goody-two-shoes. She's probably at a friend's house, like Libby's." A girl with doe eyes tried to say. The blonde who'd spoken first rolled her eyes and continued speaking to the other girl.

"Libby told me she hasn't taken Rachael home at all; she's probably fallen into the arms of some poor guy who she'll abandon after the week when Daddy and Brother return." The blonde flicked her hair over her shoulder with a cruel and snobbish smile. "Little slut."

The last word was all Eric needed to hear before slamming his door shut with a force that sent the three women scurrying away. His face was flushed bright red, and he paced his office angrily, arms swinging wildly at his sides for no outlet for the anger. He needed to get it out by sparring, but his partner was in Boston. And no one else was up to their level as rangers… except maybe that partner's sister and their fellow ranger. He opened his door and stormed his was over to her reception desk and heard her talking. Her voice was flustered and angry herself.

"No." Eric looked and saw her head was in her hands. "Look, will you please stop calling me?" She looked desperate and her head hit the desk with the cell phone still hear her head. Without thinking Eric took the three steps closer and closed the space between his hiding place and her desk and took her cell phone.

"I believe she said to stop calling her." He said fiercely into the mobile device. The person on the other side made a noise of protest and started indignantly claiming to be Rachael's boyfriend. "I don't think you are." Eric interrupted, watching Rachael's wide eyes as he spoke into the phone. "Because that's who I am." He snapped it shut, threw it on her desk, grabbed her hand and dragged her willingly out of the room. Once in the sparring gym they found themselves alone except for the equipment and Eric released her and started pacing the room. Rachael watched, her hands on her hips, amusedly watching him pace. "I can't believe him!" He said, continuing his fast walking.

Rachael recognized his need to get out his energy so she didn't respond. Instead she stepped forward and swung her fist at his head. He caught it and looked at her, surprise written on every line of his face. Her face morphed into a grin, and his matched hers and they started throwing punches, blocking them, kicking and jumping, using their knowledge of martial arts to release the tension that had built up over the course of only a few minutes.

They sparred for a solid ten minutes, and were working on twenty when Rachael caught Eric completely off guard and kicked his legs out from under him, sending him to his back where she promptly sat on top of him, pinning him to the ground. Both were breathing heavily now, and as they were dressed in heavier clothing not meant for the activity. Rachael slid off of him and sat on the ground as he sat up.

"What got you so angry?" She asked softly, leaning back on her hands.

Eric resisted for a moment, but one look at her pleading face told him he didn't have much of a choice. "It was some girls outside my office. Gossiping." He said, slightly ashamed in afterthought of how he'd reacted.

"About me." She finished, giving him a pointed look. Eric nodded in surrender. "Oh them, they're always talking about me." She brushed her hair back with a dramatic sweep and smiled at him. "They're just jealous because of my family. Thanks for defending me though." Her words were sincere, and her face neared his. He smiled back, but she spoke instead. "There's no doubt he'll tell Wes, that is if he recognized your voice."

"I didn't mean to say that." Eric flushed, but Rachael smiled.

"I'm glad you did." Her face deepened a shade of crimson and she shook her hair so that the fringe like bangs on the sides of her head so they covered her face like real bangs. "I'm really glad you did." She murmured looking in his eyes. Eric leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her soundly. He pulled back and her eyes were wide. "Anyone could have seen that." She whispered, although her eyes didn't stray from his face.

"I don't care anymore." He said simply. "If someone saw, they saw. I'll tell your father and your brother face to face if I have to." He stood up and she looked up at him with surprise on her face. She grabbed the hand he offered and rose to her feet, and gasped slightly as he pulled her into his arms. "I'll tell the whole office how much I love you."

"If that's not a declaration of love, I don't know what is." She smiled and stood on her toes to kiss him gently. "I just hope Wes and Dad agree with me."


	12. Expecting

**Next Monday Night**

Rachael stood wringing her hands at the airport terminal. The flight from Boston had been delayed so many times she'd forgotten what time it was supposed to arrive. All she knew is that it was nearing 9 at night and she was tired, especially since she'd spent the morning leaning over the toilet in her bathroom at the mansion. It had been the first and only night she'd spent at home that week, and the household staff knew to keep that information to themselves, but she'd spent it tossing and turning and the morning hours throwing up. It had to have been the Chinese food she had eaten the night before in front of an old movie, one of her favorites that she'd taken over to Eric's and watched until she'd fallen asleep. He'd taken her home after it's finish, knowing she should wake up in her own bed for once.

"Rachael!!" She heard her name across the terminal and she grinned widely to see a young man with sandy blonde hair approaching her, a black backpack sitting on his shoulder.

"Wes!" She ran for him and jumped into his arms with glee. He hugged his sister back tightly and swung her in a circle, making her laugh out loud. People walking by lifted an eyebrow at the sight, but neither cared that they were mistaking them for a couple, they couldn't help that.

"Hello Rachael." A deep voice said from behind them. Rachael released Wes and gave her father a tentative hug and then pushed back from him, holding him at arm's length and eyeing him suspiciously.

"Where's the monster?"

"What monster?" Alan said with a teasing grin at his daughter. "The man who took your phone and told Martin that he was your boyfriend?"

Rachael instantly blushed and tried to hide from his smile. He and Wes exchanged a look and Rachael pushed them toward the baggage claim without a word from her, but many a protest from Wes.

"Come on Rach, who is he?" He grinned to her bright red coloring. "One of the guys on the force? No," He corrected himself. "They're all pig headed like Eric. How is Eric, I missed torturing him all week."

"He's filled with pent up energy." She replied, breathing deeply at the close proximity of the two subjects. Wes didn't suspect Eric for a minute, and boy was he in for a surprise.

"Good, I need to spar again, and get rid of some energy of my own." Wes replied as their father walked slowly behind his children, one of whom was nearing his 22nd birthday while the other was approaching her 21st and it happened to be the same day. He kept himself out of their conversation purposefully; he'd learned that they were their own people and his interjecting into their conversation was only useful when they started arguing, which happened more than they would admit.

"Well he decided that I was good enough for the time being." Rachael continued to Wes.

"No way." Wes stared at her incredulously. "Eric said he'd never spar a girl!"

"Well I kind of started it." Rachael smiled. "It was sad to see him so frustrated, so I attacked him and he calmed down." Wes laughed long and loud at the baggage claim, making some people stare, but the three were oblivious. Once getting their bags and exiting the airport, they got into Rachael's convertible and started the drive back, Wes trying to guess who Rachael's significant other was. He still hadn't guessed by the time they'd gotten to the mansion and Rachael was laughing at his guesses.

"Lucas?"

"No!"

"Trip."

"Wes." She gave him her best glare and he laughed back.

"Come on Rach! Tell me." He whined like a little child. She quirked her eyebrows and gave him a smile.

"Well how about tonight?" She grinned and Wes looked surprised. "I invited him to dinner."

"You didn't."

"I did."

Wes' face lit up brightly at Rachael's smile. She turned from him and walked up the stairs, him behind her. She sat on his bed while Wes told stories about being in Boston, the hotel, and what Martin's face looked like when Rachael had hung up on him. She laughed and rolled on his bed while he unpacked his things and put them away in his room. "So when's he coming?"

"Around 7." She said softly, her face getting thoughtful as she leaned back on his pillow. "So how's Courtney?"

Wes smiled and stopped what he was doing for a moment. The goofy look on his face made it completely clear that he was completely in love with his girlfriend. "She's fine, she called me while we were there, and she also sent a picture." He blushed at the last part of his sentence and grimaced like he hadn't meant to say it.

"Ew! TMI!" Rachael screeched with laughter, leaning back on his pillows and laughing hysterically. Wes gave his sister a reproachful look.

"Not that kind of picture." His face flushed a little, making him look uncomfortable and Rachael sat up, interested.

"What kind of picture then?" She was more serious now and Wes shifted uncomfortably.

"A sonogram." He said softly, moving his weight from one foot to the other.

"A what?" Rachael sat up quickly, her mouth dropped open in surprise. She knew Courtney and her brother were close, but this… "How did this happen?"

"Well you see, when a man loves a woman…" Wes started mockingly, but he didn't finish his sentence because he was hit in the forehead with one of his own pillows.

"I know how babies are made." Rachael said with a scowl. "Not like I haven't done it before."

"Finally?"

"Shut up and tell me, Courtney's pregnant?" She asked, leaning forward. Wes smiled and nodded. "Wow." She leaned back on the pillows thoughtfully. "Dad is going to kill you."

"Why do you say that?" He asked, picking up his duffel bag and throwing it in the depths of his closet.

"Oh I dunno." Rachael feigned surprise, "Maybe because you're not married?" She gave him a sarcastic look that he smiled at again.

"Actually…"

"You have got to be kidding me." Rachael gaped at her brother.

"I'm not." Wes grimaced and sat down on the end of his bed next to his sister. "We eloped three months ago." Rachael didn't reply, just leaned back with a half smile, half thoughtful look on her face. "What's up?" He said making her glance up.

"I miss Mom." Rachael whispered, turning her head quickly to the small picture Wes kept by his bed of their small family. Their mother with her raven colored hair, holding the eight year old Wes and seven year old Rachael with their dad standing behind them with an attempt at a smile on his face, both of the children looked like they were happy and the current Rachael smiled at the memories.

"So do I sis." Wes pulled her into a comforting hug and they sat there for a few moments. Wes pulled back a little and looked at her. "You aren't trying to get out of dinner are you?"

"Never, but now I'm going to be on your tail about telling Dad about you and Courtney." She smiled, but her eyes told a different story. The beeper on her belt went off and she snatched it quickly and brought it to her face. "Well something wants me to get out of it. Emergency downtown, Eric's going to meet us there." They moved off the bed and they started for the door, down the stairs and directly to Wes's Silver Guardian SUV.

**Later That Evening**

"Sorry I had to cancel dinner." Rachael said to Eric softly when the two were accidentally left alone. He smiled uncharacteristically and continued packing up the things they were storing after their standoff. A local business had been robbed; leaving the Silver Guardian's to fight them in a standoff for a few hours that evening.

"It's not exactly your fault." Eric said, throwing the bag he'd packed up on its shelf. They were alone in the small store room, and he stepped up behind her and slid his arms around her waist and she laughed as he pulled her up and away from her work.

"You're going to get us caught."

"And what's wrong with that?" He whispered in her ear, tickling her so she turned around in his arms.

"I want to tell them straight out, I don't want to get caught like a teenager who missed their curfew." She smiled and jumped to her tiptoes to kiss him gently on his waiting lips.

"Guess we'll have to have another dinner?"

"Or something, Daddy has a lot of stuff to do these days." She bit her lip in the way that made him almost lose complete control.

"You'll think of something."

"I always do." She smiled and kissed his nose and turned back to the bag, finished it and threw it up by Eric's. Turning on her heel, she stepped out of the room and Eric watched as she went outside and into her brother's car and they pulled out of the parking lot.

**Three Weeks Later**

Rachael breathed deeply, leaning over the rim of the tub in her bathroom. She'd spent the morning throwing up again, and had been for the past couple weeks. Sitting down on the cool tile floor, she took a deep breath, and leaned against the wall. There weren't really any reasons why she could be throwing up, except… Her eyes widened as the thought crossed her mind. She couldn't be… there was no way… she and Eric hadn't had sex since that first week… and her father and Wes had no idea about their relationship, and that scared her the most. Wes had only recently plucked up the courage to tell their father about his and Courtney's baby, but the blow was softened by their secret marriage and the fact their relationship was out in the open. The two were now living in another part of the mansion, waiting for the arrival of their baby in October.

She slipped out of the bathroom and grabbed her cell phone, flicking it open and dialing the number she knew by heart.

"Hello?" Eric's voice came through the device and she took a deep breath and didn't speak for a minute.

"Hey." She said, her voice coming out as a harsh whisper.

"Rachael? What's the matter?" Eric asked, but Rachael couldn't tell him over the phone, heck she wasn't even sure herself.

"I'm fine; I need to talk to you though. Can you meet me after work?" She glanced up at the clock, it showed nearing ten thirty and she was thankful she took the Thursday off.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, we just need to talk."

"Alright. I'll meet you at Rossi's at 6?"

"Sounds good. I love you." She said, hoping her voice was sincere.

"I love you, too." Eric's voice sounded hurt as he said those words and it killed Rachael to know what he was thinking. She heard his phone click and she threw it down on her bed. She was alone in the huge mansion, and preferred it that way. But now she needed to get as far away from it as possible. She grabbed her purse and car eyes and headed out to her convertible.

An hour later she returned to her room with a plastic bag filled with six boxes, each with the same promise of 99.9% accuracy. She returned to her bathroom and used all six, one after the other and got the same result six times. Positive. She sat on her bed and stared off into space, not focusing on anything in her room, only the thoughts in her head, which were racing. Nothing was registering completely; the idea that she was… just nothing was sticking.

Rachael wandered around the house all day, after carefully destroying all of the tests to hide from the maid. She ate lunch silently by herself, filled with thoughts she wasn't sure how to handle. All afternoon she drifted throughout the house, unable to think, read, or even look at a computer. She tried to watch TV, but it was filled with children, their mothers or horrible news stories that disgusted her. Around 5 she showered and dressed in her blue jeans, a white shirt that clung to her nicely toned body, which; she realized with a jolt, wouldn't last much longer. She brushed on light make-up, giving her a fresh but completely pale face and let her long black hair hang loosely around her face. Eric was right on time and Rachael put on a smile for him as he picked her up and they went to the pizzeria.

Half-way through their meal Eric couldn't stand the dancing around the reason they'd gone out this night. He'd been thinking and worrying all day since she called him. He didn't want to say it, but he was terrified she was going to end it with him. "Rach, what did you want to talk about?"

Rachael froze and glanced up at him and took a deep breath, shaking her head. "Not here, later."

All Eric could do to keep sane for the next hour was talk about mindless things. They left the restaurant and walked down the street, hand in hand to the lush park. After a few minutes of walking in the darkening light, Eric squeezed her hand and stopped, making her turn to face him. The force got her right next to him and their bodies pressed against each other, only one knowing what was between them.

"Rachael." He whispered her name softly into her ear and lowered his lips to hers, but she backed away and ducked her head down. He knitted his brow and untangled one of his hands to bring her face up to look at him. Eric was startled as he saw tears streaking down her face. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, Eric…" Rachael backed off slightly, squeezing his hand with hers. Eric decided now would be a good time to be quiet and let her talk. "Eric you know I love you right?" She said it softly, and in one quick breath.

"Of course." He replied, completely confused to what she was about to tell him. He thought it would have been different, more along the lines of breaking up, not her confirming how much they love each other. "Rachael, just tell me what's on your mind."

"I'm pregnant."

Eric froze for a minute, not registering what Rachael had just said. A baby? He wasn't ready to have a baby, but from the look on her face, neither was she. He took a step backward and ran his hand through his hair. They'd been careful, right? No… that first night… but you couldn't get pregnant off of only one night.

"Please say something." Her voice sounded small and scared as she looked at him through the dark. Eric said the first thing that he could think of.

"Are you sure?" He choked out and she smiled awkwardly.

"I'm pretty sure; I took six tests."

"Six?"

"I drank a lot of water." She blushed revealing that to him. He stepped a little closer to her and rested his forehead on hers.

"A baby?" He whispered, sliding his arms around her waist and pulled her into an embrace. She laid her head on his chest and sighed.

"Guess so."

"You dad is going to kill me." Eric said with her in his arms. She laughed lightly, and they lapsed into silence, both thinking about what was about to happen to them and their relationship.


	13. Questions

**Next Morning**

Rachael was pacing outside her father's office at Bio Labs wringing her hands repeatedly. Her father was in a meeting with several business executives, and since they'd returned from Boston, Martin wasn't bothering her, heck he never went near her, and she suspected Eric had something to do with it. The door opened and she stepped back as three men stepped out, including Eric. Two kept walking past her but Eric stopped and gripped her hands tightly.

"He said you can go in now." He whispered. "I'll be right here when you need me." Rachael nodded to him, unable to speak for fear of throwing up again and slipped into the room where she saw Wes leaning over their father's desk with Alan Collins sitting in his chair, hand on his chin looking thoughtful.

"Hey Dad."

He looked up and smiled at his daughter. "Rachael, you wanted to see me?" Alan looked up at his son and Wes started for the door.

"No!" Rachael said quickly. "You might as well stay."

"Well I was going to go call Courtney…"

"No, stay." Rachael laughed soft and uncomfortably. "You'll find out anyway." Alan and Wes exchanged a confused look and the elder turned back to his daughter.

"Rachael, what's wrong."

The raven haired beauty shifted uneasily and her gaze shifted to the floor. After a deep breath and intense fear she spit it out quickly. "I'm pregnant." The words blurred together as she said them in one breath and she looked up and saw the blank faces of her brother and father.

"You what?" Alan asked his voice uncharacteristically soft and gentle. Wes only stared as Rachael took another deep breath and repeated herself.

"I'm… pregnant."

"With this secret boyfriend of yours?" Alan said, his voice getting angry, "I was beginning to think he didn't exist at all, but now I'm prepared to kill him."

"Dad it's just as much my fault as it is his." Rachael said, stepping closer to his desk.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? Afraid of me actually meeting the slob?"

"I didn't want you to fire him!" Rachael realized her mistake the moment the words left her mouth.

"He's one of my employees." Alan said slowly, his voice full of danger. "A Silver Guardian?" Rachael nodded in defeat and Wes leaned back against the wall in surprise.

"Who, Rachael." He said kindly looking at his sister. She looked up.

"You'll never believe me."

"Try me."

Rachael closed her eyes for a moment and crossed the room to the door and opened it a slight bit so only she could see who was standing outside of it. Eric nodded seriously and pulled the door open wider and stepped into the room, holding her hand and leading her back to the desk. Wes' eyes were bugged out of his head and Mr. Collins had frozen at his desk to see the Co-captain of his Silver Guardians standing with his daughter who was pregnant with their child.

"Captain Myers." Alan said slowly. Eric nodded, but didn't speak and squeezed Rachael's hand tightly, the only outlet of his anxiety. "Do you love my daughter?" Mr. Collins asked, grabbing the attention of all three twenty somethings.

"Yes sir."

"And if right now I told you that the only way I would accept this would be if you got married, would you marry her?" Rachael made an angry noise, but Alan stopped her from answering with a hand. Eric squeezed her hand again gently.

"Yes sir."

**That Evening, Eric's House**

Rachael lay on top of Eric's warm body on his couch and idly watched the pictures fly across the screen, more enjoying the fact they'd lived through the day more than anything. Eric's hand was absently rubbing his hand up and down her upper arm and it was making her ticklish.

"I can't believe we're alive." She murmured as Eric's eyes flickered down to her.

"What do you mean?"

The girl sat up, her dark black hair falling around her face, "You just told the most powerful man in the state that you're the father of my unborn child. It takes a lot for someone to say that."

"That's not really a nice way to put it."

"It's better than calling myself a whore."

"Good point. When are you due?" Eric's brows knit and Rachael sat back.

"Well, I haven't been to the doctor yet, but I would say nine months from that week which makes it around… December."

"Wes and Courtney are expecting in October, they'll be close cousins."

"I hope so." Rachael slipped her arms around him and sighed deeply. "I hope for a lot of things." After a few more moments of only the television talking, Eric couldn't resist but to ask another question.

"Rach, I have to ask you something." He shifted so she sat up and looked in his eyes, curiosity filling her own. "Do you want to get married?" He was referring to the question her father had asked him earlier. Alan Collins had shook Eric's hand and told him that it was fine by him whether they married or didn't, as long as Rachael was happy. They'd left content, and subject to Wes' millions of accusations and questions, and by the time they'd gotten away, Mr. Collins had asked Rachael to be home early, something she called a curfew.

"I don't know." She said softly in reply. "I mean I love you, but I'm not sure. Do you?"

Eric looked at the wall and off into space. Rachael watched him and could tell he was thinking deeply, many thoughts running through his head. "Yes, I do actually." He said definitely. Rachael sat up.

"Why? I mean, we've known each other a long time, but we've only been together for a month. How can you know we won't screw up?"

"I know I love you more than anything else, and have for a while." He started, muting the television. "I know that I can provide for you and this one." He tickled her stomach and she laughed lightly. "I just know."

"Then I know too." Rachael said softly, leaning in to kiss him. He kissed her back and gave her a look.

"Does this mean…?"

"Nope." She got up from the couch and went into the kitchen to the table, grabbing her keys off of it. Eric got up and followed her and grabbed her arm.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, his old menacing behavior returning, but Rachael wasn't fazed.

"You think I'm going to let that be a proposal? I may be pregnant with your child but I'm not going to be that easy to please buddy." She grabbed his arm and pulled him to her and they kissed for a moment and then she pulled back. "Good night." She turned and exited his house with a flourish and Eric sat down on the kitchen chair. Rachael had to be the most hyperactive person he knew, and totally opposite from his personality, but he wasn't the hardass he had been for so many years. He stood and grabbed the sleek black phone from the wall and dialed an out of town phone number and waited.

"Grace?" He said as the person on the other end picked up.

"Yes, who's this?"

"It's Eric."

"Eric!" The woman said happily. "How are you?"

"I'm good; I have some news to tell you. How's Mom doing?"

"Mom's pretty good, pretty out of it though. The Alzheimer's is getting worse." Eric was quiet for a moment thinking about his mother's illness. Their mother had acquired it at a young age, but nonetheless suffered more than either of her children had wanted. Eric had been a surprise for her and her husband, but a happy one despite that. Grace, Eric's only sibling had made a better life for herself, marrying a rich man and settling down in Florida with him to raise their four kids. Being seven years older than he was, Grace hadn't been close to her brother, but had helped take care of him and their mother after their father's death. Both women had put their money together to send Eric to the Prep school but that had only worked to his advantage by introducing him to the Collins'.

"Eric, are you alright?" Grace's voice cut into the thoughts.

"Yeah." Eric cleared his throat and looked at the table. "Grace, I need to tell you something."

"Anything Eric."

"I've been dating this girl." He started and Grace's excited squeal.

"Oh Eric that's great!" Grace said happily. "Are you going to ask her to marry you?"

"Sort of."

"What do you mean 'sort of'?" Grace sounded amused at her younger brother's avoiding the subject.

"Grace, she's pregnant."

Silence. Grace froze. The thirty year old woman stood in her kitchen, hands in the food she was cooking. "Eric…" Her voice faded and Eric swallowed and laughed lightly.

"Her father didn't take it well either."

Grace laughed and set down her knife. "I'm sure, oh Eric, a baby?"

"I've heard pregnancy usually results in babies, yes."

"Smartass." Eric laughed at the annoyance in his sister's voice; it vanished as she spoke again. "I can't believe you're going to be a father little brother."

"Me either." Eric leaned back in his chair and sighed. "She said I'm allowed to propose, and I think she'll want to get married before the baby."

"She's allowing you?" Grace sounded amused. "Damn bro you're whipped."

"Now who's the smartass?"

Grace laughed brightly, "I think I can make a trip up there for a wedding, the kids would love to see their Uncle Eric again."

"Grace, you'll love her."

"If you do, I'm sure I'll have no problem." Grace's smile radiated through the phone. "Love you little bro."

"I don't deserve a sister like you." Eric said. "Love you too."

**Later**

Rachael threw her keys on her dresser and flopped back on her bed. There wasn't anyone she wanted to see at this moment than her best friend, who happened to live a thousand years in the future.

"I missed you too." An amused female voice said from the dark corner of her bedroom. Rachael sat up and there she stood.

"Bronwyn!" Rachael lunged off of her bed and gripped her best friend tightly. "You have no idea how much I missed you." Bronwyn threw her head of blonde hair back in laughter.

"I wasn't aware." Bronwyn laughed as Rachael released her. The girls fell back onto Rachael's bed, Bronwyn at the foot, Rachael leaning on her pillows. "So how's life in the twenty-first century?"

"Complicated. How's the year 3000?"

"Fine." Bronwyn didn't stop smiling. Rachael's eyes lit up and she played with her fingernails.

"I can see that rock from here you know."

Bronwyn looked up suddenly in shock at her best friend's claim. Her left hand flew to her mouth and the large diamond was apparent on her ring finger. "You're still a know it all."

"Yup, now spill."

"Lucas and I just reconnected after the whole ranger thing." Bronwyn smiled happily, the two scooting closer and laughing. "Thing's turned out to be really great, and I'm here because Logan gave me permission to bring you to the future for the wedding." Bronwyn waited for what she was sure was Rachael's excited response. But it didn't come, instead the raven haired girl smiled while the wheels were obviously turning in her head. "You don't look excited."

"No, I am, it's just… when is it?"

Bronwyn's face fell, watching her best friend. "Early November."

Rachael swallowed. "I can't be in your wedding." She said softly to her best friend, feeling guilty for letting her down. Bronwyn's mouth dropped open.

"Why?" She stood up from the bed and put her hands on her hips, thoroughly insulted. Rachael stood up and tried to speak but Bronwyn wouldn't let her.

"No, Rachael, you're my best friend. I came all the way through time, using a brand new personal time system to ask you! I can't believe…."

"I'm pregnant!" Rachael shouted loudly. Bronwyn froze and stared at her, mouth gaping. "Bronwyn, I can't be in your wedding because in November I'll be about eight months pregnant."

Bronwyn's eyes widened and she sat back on Rachael's bed in shock. "Pregnant? How?"

Rachael grinned and sat down next to her best friend. "I don't think you really want me to answer that question." Bronwyn rolled her eyes, making Rachael explode into laughter.

"Seriously Rachael." Bronwyn looked at her best friend. "Who's the father?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Rachael got up and wandered to her window and looked out of it. "Dad and Wes' faces went whiter than your shirt."

Bronwyn glanced down at her black short shorts and crisp white t-shirt. It was a clean white shirt, almost luridly so. "Do I know him?" Rachael's non-response practically answered her question. "Who is he." It wasn't a question, more of a command.

"Eric."

Bronwyn froze. "Eric? Hardheaded hardass Eric? The one who you fought with almost every time you were in close proximity with each other?" Rachael smiled and turned back from the window and closed Bronwyn's mouth with her own hand.

"Yes, that Eric." She rolled her eyes and leaned back on her bed. Bronwyn awkwardly sat down on the bed near her feet. "I'm still not even sure what happened." She said softly. "Dad and Wes were out of town in Boston and I didn't want to go home because of the empty mansion. I hate that house so much when it's empty. I know Mom felt the same way. But anyway, my car was in the shop so I started walking home until he made me get in his SUV for a ride. I kinda told him I hated the house, so he took me to his house for dinner." She laughed. "He served me an omelet! There was nothing else in his refrigerator at all, not even milk. We talked the whole time, about our childhood's lives, everything, even about you guys." She said referencing the other rangers. Bronwyn sat there and watched Rachael talk, although the girl was staring at her ceiling.

"He doesn't have a dishwasher so we washed them by hand, I dried them. After the last plate he was just looking at me and moved closer and… we kissed. After that, well," She blushed, "You can figure that out."

"Junior was conceived?" Bronwyn asked, her tone slightly amused.

"Yes, the first damn time." Rachael grinned at her friend who laughed. "That was the only time we didn't use protection."

"It wasn't your first time ever…"

"No, it wasn't, but I sort of wish it had been."

Bronwyn's eyebrows quirked again and Rachael sat up. "Why? Eric's a pain."

"Yeah he is but," Rachael shrugged, "I love him." The last words came out in a whisper almost like she didn't believe it herself.

"Wow." Bronwyn's voice came in with a little shock. "Well, there's still no reason you can't be in my wedding." The brunette stood and put on a business like manner and turned to the raven haired girl. "I'll make the bridesmaid dresses flexible for you."

"Bronwyn…" Rachael protested standing up and gripping her friends arm. Bronwyn smiled and turned back to her friend.

"No excuses. Besides, right now I might want to go bother your brother." She eyed the door. "D'you think he's still up."

"Probably, he and Courtney go to bed rather late these days." Rachael replied, watching the other girl's face.

"Oh well then let's go…" Bronwyn froze. "Courtney? Who's Courtney?"

"His wife." Rachael replied and Bronwyn's mouth dropped open. "Oh and she's pregnant too." She laughed brightly at Bronwyn's shocked face.

"Don't you Collins' ever slow down?" She sat on Rachael's bed to absorb the news. The dark haired girl sat next to the blonde with a grin on her face.

"Not usually. I'd feel better if you told me that Jen's doing ok." She winced and turned to Bronwyn who smiled brightly at the mention of her sister.

"Jen's got a really nice guy, he's tall dark and handsome and makes me weak at the knees!"

Rachael laughed with relief. "Good, and won't Lucas get jealous of you looking at your sister's beau?"

"Never! He's too arrogant!" She laughed. "I want to bother your brother now." She left Rachael's room and stopped and turned back to her grinning best friend. "Um, I take it they don't live in Wes' old room anymore."

"Nope." Rachael stood and went out the door and to the top of the stairs. "They live in the old guest suite on the ground floor." She smiled and slid down the banister to the bottom floor. Laughing, Bronwyn followed her and the two moved more stealthily to Wes and Courtney's bedroom door.

"Rach?" Wes's voice came from the inside of the room and the two giggled and swung the door out widely. "Bronwyn!" He said with a smile, standing directly in front of the door. He stepped forward and they hugged lightly, Bronwyn breaking it off to look in the room.

"So where is your wife?" Bronwyn asked with a grin.

"Wes?" A soft feminine voice called from the bathroom. "Is Rachael in there?" A girl of average height stepped into the room, she had shoulder length brown hair and the oddest looking purple eyes. And her stomach was expanded slightly past normal, only people who knew would come to the conclusion she was pregnant.

"Courtney, this is a good friend of mine, Bronwyn Scotts." Wes stepped over to his wife and introduced her beaming.

Bronwyn smiled and shook Courtney's hand. "Sorry it's so late." She apologized sweetly. "I just got here."

"From the future?" Courtney smiled at Bronwyn's shocked face. "Wes told me everything." She smiled gently, her hand subconsciously rubbing her protruding stomach.

Rachael laughed from the doorway behind them and grabbed Bronwyn's arm. "They look tired, tell them the news and let's go." Bronwyn nodded and held up her diamond for Wes to see.

"Whoa! Who would marry you?" He said, looking at the large stone. She hit him soundly in the stomach and they all laughed.

"Lucas." She smiled. "I'm sorry, but Logan said I can bring only the three of you." She glanced at Courtney.

"Wait, you were going to invite Eric?" Rachael said surprised. "You hated him!"

Bronwyn scoffed and flipped her hand at Rachael. "Oh that's ancient history, and besides you two will be married by then." She smiled at Courtney, "I'm really sorry."

"No problem, depending on when it is, I might not be able to go!" She grinned, referencing her stomach.

"Well it's early November."

"And this baby's due late October." Courtney smiled. "No harm done, I'll still be recovering, but I'll lend you Wes for the day." Her smile was genuine and Bronwyn gave her a light hug.

"Thanks." She left the room and waved behind her as Rachael gave the couple a smile while shutting the door. "You're insufferable."

"No, I'm incorrigible." Bronwyn shot back, making Rachael roll her eyes. They talked all the way up the stairs, and lay on opposite ends of Rachael's bed, talking about Bronwyn's wedding plans. After about an hour a random tapping noise was heard at the large window. Rachael knitted her brow, pulled the curtain back and opened the window. Sticking her head out the window she called out.

"Hey!"

"Hey to you too." A strong masculine voice said from the ground. Rachael gasped at the sight of Eric standing in her lawn, dressed in jeans, a white t-shirt and leather jacket.

"Eric what are you doing here?!" Rachael asked, not wanting to glance behind her at Bronwyn. "Dad is going to catch you." She warned.

"I've already gotten you pregnant; I don't think I can do much else." He said with a grin that was way to smooth to be his normal personality. Rachael tried to give him a reproachful look, but could only smile at his childish actions. "I needed to talk to you. Are you busy?" He asked with another heart stopping grin.

"Not really." She lied through her teeth, hoping Bronwyn would take the hint and stay where she was.

"Good. Catch." He threw a small white object up to her window and she caught it. It was an old jewelry box and her heart started to race with anticipation. She opened the box and saw an old silver band with three diamonds at the top. "Rachael, will you marry me?"

Rachael couldn't respond and Eric smiled and stepped forward to the house. "What are you doing?" She asked suddenly. He didn't answer and he was climbing up the side of the house, partially on the drainpipe and the lattice on the side. She ducked in the room and faced Bronwyn's confused face. "Go." She whispered and the blonde smiled.

"I'll call you." She winked, and left the room and a suspicious blue flash of light went off in the hallway before she turned to see Eric jump in her window. He walked up to her and took the box from her hands, removed the ring and knelt in front of her.

"Rachael, I know you told me to wait and surprise you, but I can't do that." Eric said, holding her hand as she watched him with wide eyes. "I love you." He held up the ring. "This ring was my mothers and she wore it every day until the tenth anniversary of my Dad's death. On that day she gave it to me and told me to give it to the love of my life. So here I am. Rachael, will you marry me?"

"Yes." Her answer was rushed and she breathed it out, unable to show true emotion. He smiled, and slipped the ring on her finger and stood to hug her tightly. She latched onto him and held him for the longest time. After what seemed like an eternity, she backed away, slid her hands under his jacket and threw it on the floor. With a grin she pulled him onto her bed and she wrapped her arms around him tightly, admiring the ring on her finger.

The next morning Eric grabbed his jacket and looked back at the Rachael's sleeping form with a smile. After a soft kiss on her forehead was the last thing he did before slipping out the door. He made it down the stairs and almost out the door, sliding his jacket on his arms.

"When my father said Rachael had to be home early, he didn't mean you could come too." Eric turned to see Wes coming out of the shadows with his arms folded.

"I had something to ask her." Eric grinned at Wes, startling the poor kid.

"You're smiling; you're more whipped than I thought."

"Says the married man."

"You'll be there soon if that 'something' you had to ask her was what I think it was." Wes grinned at his verbal defeat. "Besides, it's not so bad to wake up every morning with her next to you." He shrugged and started to the kitchen, yelling behind him. "You know, you could always pretend you just showed up for breakfast." Was the last thing Eric heard before Wes disappeared into the swinging door. After a moment of thinking, Eric glanced back to the stairs and saw her. Rachael was standing at the top of the stairs, dressed in black pants and a relatively nice dark purple colored shirt. She moved down the stairs slowly, her eyes never leaving his until she was in his arms.

"Isn't it a bit early for you and Wes to be arguing?" She said sweetly, too innocent to be serious. Eric narrowed his eyes at her, but her face wasn't relenting in its grin and he quickly gave in by kissing her gently. "Cheater." She murmured, backing away slightly. She slid her left hand up on his shoulder, and her eyes turned to the bright sparkling ring that was now sitting there. "I like it." She smiled and turned for the kitchen, but stopped and looked back coyly. "You just showed up, right?"

"Right." Eric rolled his eyes at her statement, as different as Wes and Rachael looked, they were clearly siblings in every other way. He followed her into the kitchen and he stopped at the sight on the table. Wes looked up from the newspaper he had on the table next to his coffee cup and grinned.

"Eric, how nice of you to bring the SUV up here this morning." He said with mock surprise. A dish towel suddenly came in contact with his head and he tossed it back in its original direction, where Rachael caught it with a grin. Eric shrugged off his jacket and sat down and looked around the room. "You don't have to be worried; Dad went to Los Angeles this morning." Wes said without looking up.

"And you can stop teasing him now." A light voice said from the kitchen door. Courtney walked in, dressed casually in blue jeans and a white t-shirt. Rachael grinned at her from the stove and the girls started cooking breakfast for the two guys while they sat at the table.

"Do they usually make breakfast for you?" Eric said quietly to Wes, hoping neither of the women actually heard.

"Usually the cook does, but today's her day off, and if I were to cook, the fire department would be here in about ten minutes." Wes answered, raising his eyebrows.

"And I don't like charred chunks of egg for breakfast." Rachael cut in, setting a plate of eggs and waffles in front of Wes and Eric each. "Enjoy." She grinned returning to the kitchen and helping Courtney bring their own plates to the table. Eric listened to the banter between the siblings and Courtney, surprised mainly at the comfort she had with joining in to Wes and Rachael's teasing. Finally Rachael got up and started clearing the things from the table and Eric jumped to help her, grinning at the memory of the first time they did the dishes together.

"So I'll be in Briarwood all day." Courtney said, standing up from the table and bending down to kiss Wes good-bye.

"What?" He said, looking up at her with confusion written on his face. Courtney rolled her eyes.

"Shopping, with the twins? Remember?" She said, rolling her eyes at her husband. Wes wrinkled his brow and frowned, making Courtney laugh. "Remember? Kaitlynn, Davina, 15 years old, like shopping, babies and shopping for babies?"

"I remember the baby." Wes said with a grin, kissing her lightly before standing up. Rachael wrinkled her nose and pulled Eric out of the kitchen to give her brother and sister-in-law a little privacy. She jogged upstairs and Eric followed her, sitting on her bed as she dug through her closet for a pair of shoes.

"Just be glad Courtney was too busy looking at Wes to notice my ring." She said with a grin in her voice, face buried in the closet floor.

"I guess it would have been loud?"

"And high pitched." Rachael laughed lightly. Eric smiled, Rachael didn't giggle like most girls when she was amused, she laughed, varying degrees of laughter, but never giggling. "And she would have started asking millions of questions _I_ don't have the answers to."

"Such as?"

Rachael surfaced with a pair of black heels in her hand and started pulling them on her feet. "When's the wedding, how big, who's invited, where will it be, ect." She grinned at Eric's shocked face. "You do realize you have to help me with this whole deal." Eric groaned and leaned back on her bed, to Rachael's amusement. "Ok, I'll take that as, three hundred guests, a huge church, reception, month long honeymoon and you're paying for all of it." Eric was about to bolt upward in protest, but Rachael pushed him down and lay next to him on the bed. "I'm kidding." She kissed him softly and stood back up, grabbing her backpack and facing him. "I'll see you at work." She left the room with Eric watching after her.

Rachael locked the door to her convertible before going inside the Silver Guardian Headquarters and was instantly attacked by an unseen force.

"Rachael!" A shrill female voice called, tackling her against the wall. "What's this rumor I hear about you can Captain Myers?" Libby's eyes were wide with anticipation. Rachael and Libby had become sort of friends due to Bronwyn's absence with returning to her own time.

"What rumor are you talking about?" Rachael steered her friend toward the desk she used as her reception desk and for her Time Force duties. Libby sat in her chair as she stowed her backpack under the desk after pulling out a few files and setting them on the desk.

"That you two are a couple." Libby grinned and Rachael looked up at her. "Well?" She asked expectantly. Rachael sighed and held up her left hand without a word. Libby screamed, making Rachael cover her ears and laugh as the few people who were milling about the lobby turn to stare. Rachael laughed lightly as Libby grabbed her hand to get a closer look at the small diamond.

"When?"

"Last night."

"No, I mean when's the wedding?" Libby was thrilled and begging for answers.

"I don't know this happened fast enough." She looked at her hand for a moment again.

"Rach, there've been some nasty rumors." Libby was suddenly serious and Rachael looked up. "Like that week your Dad and Wes were out of town, they say…"

"I know what they say, and that's my business." Rachael said firmly.

"They're going to say it was Eric."

"And what if it was?"

Libby stopped and then smiled, getting the message, throwing her hands up in defeat. "So no details yet?" She asked curiously.

"Not yet." Rachael grinned as Eric walked in. He nodded at her with a smile and went past her down the hallway to the office he shared with Wes. Yesterday had been such a long day that Eric stared at his desk and realized he'd gotten absolutely nothing done. He groaned and slammed his forehead on his desk.

"Realize what you did?" An amused voice said from the doorway.

"Not now Wes." Eric muttered, lifting his head and turning on his computer.

"Should I let you ponder in silence?"

"Yes." Eric's curt answer surprised Wes, but then again, what else could he expect? Rachael was an angel to put up with Eric for the rest of her life. But she really was thrilled about it all. He didn't know how she could be, but it was nice to see both of them happy. Wes grinned as Eric subconsciously grinned at his computer screen, his friend was caught, but so was he. A thought suddenly occurred to Wes, but he bit his tongue, not wanting to bring it up. But after almost an hour of work, he couldn't keep it in.

"Hey Eric?"

"What."

"Whatever happened to Taylor?"

Eric froze. Wes was asking him what had happened to his last girlfriend now that he was engaged to Wes' sister. "Are you insane?"

Wes grinned goofily. "Yeah."

"We went out a few times, drove each other insane, broke up and then I continued to pine after Rachael." Eric winced when he realized the words he'd chosen. "Not a word from you please." He muttered under his breath.

"Your wedding." Wes shrugged and turned to his monitor.


	14. Forever and Always

**Three Weeks Later**

Rachael stood in her bedroom, brushing her hair slowly over and over trying to think of how to put it up. She'd had three weeks to figure that out, but hadn't gotten anywhere near getting it right. What she needed was someone to do her hair and make-up for her, but that person was a thousand years into the future. She set her brush down and sighed deeply.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Courtney whispered softly from the door. Rachael looked in her vanity mirror at her sister-in-law's reflection. Courtney was beautiful, her dark brown hair was piled neatly on top of her head with small whisps falling around her face in small curls. Her oddly colored violet eyes were sparkling extra bright against the soft lavender of her dress. Rachael sighed.

"I miss Bronwyn."

"You two got very close." Courtney said softly. "And what would your wedding be without her?"

"Exactly." Rachael muttered, putting her head in her hand and shifting her legs. She was wearing only a white silk slip, before she put on her mother's wedding dress.

"Then why didn't you invite me?" A loud voice asked indignantly. Rachael sat up straight and saw the reflection of the blonde in her mirror. She spun around and ran to the door and embraced Bronwyn tightly. She pushed Rachael into the room and back to the vanity and sat her down. "And I brought the cavalry!" She grinned widely. Jen and Katie poked their heads in and Rachael jumped up to hug them both tightly. She saw Courtney attempt to leave out of the corner of her eye.

"Courtney!" She called and grabbed her hands. "I want you here." Courtney tilted her head but smiled and followed her back into the room. "Now, music and let's do this."

"You got it! This is your bachelorette party I guess." Bronwyn laughed. "Oh, Lucas and Trip are downstairs with Wes and Eric." She grinned.

"I still can't believe you and Eric are getting married." Jen said from where she sat on the bed. "Last I knew you didn't' like him much."

"Things happen." Rachael shrugged and a light blush lit up her cheeks.

"Well then why are you marrying him so fast?" Katie asked questioningly, starting to attack Jen's hair. Rachael spun and stared at Bronwyn.

"You didn't tell them?" Her voice squeaked.

"I thought you would want to." The blonde replied, setting down the brush on the vanity. Rachael turned to the others and starting wringing her hands.

"I… well…" Jen and Katie were watching her curiously, exchanging a confused look. "I'm pregnant." Rachael breathed out, biting her bottom lip. Both Katie and Jen stared at her in shock while Bronwyn and Courtney tried not to laugh.

"Wow." Jen said in surprise as Katie jumped up and pulled Rachael into a bone crushing hug.

"Thanks Katie." Rachael laughed and caught Jen's grin. The five women started talking up a storm after that, Courtney sliding right into the conversation. In a half hour they had Rachael standing in her long off white wedding gown. The dress was a huge piece of material, with only two thin straps holding it on. At her waist a silver sash pulled the dress in to accentuate her waist, which wasn't going to look like that much longer.

"Are you sure you're pregnant?" Katie asked with a grin, looking at the perfect figure.

"Nine weeks." Rachael sighed, picking up the bouquet of white roses with its red and purple bow. Her hair was curled around her head and only a half ponytail kept it up but her bangs fell in her face with a veil attached to her tiara, and she looked gorgeous.

"It's time." Courtney said softly. The other girls slipped out of the room with quick hugs for their friend. Alan slipped through the door before it closed and stopped at the sight of his daughter in her wedding dress.

"You look like your mother." He whispered softly, and pulled her into his arms and held her. When she pulled back he reached into his pocket and grabbed a small black box. "This was hers, she wanted you have it." He opened the box to reveal a silver necklace with a single diamond in the shape of a teardrop on its center.

"Dad, it's beautiful." She whispered as she turned to let him slip it around her neck.

"_You're_, beautiful." Alan kissed her cheek gently and smiled. "I don't think we should keep him waiting." Rachael grinned and slipped her arm through his and they left her room and descended the stairs.

Every time he saw Rachael, she took his breath away, but this time, Eric wasn't sure he could stay standing. Everyone in the front entryway of the mansion looked up as Rachael and Alan descended the stairs, all eyes on the bride. When they approached the minister they stopped and Rachael smiled softly at Eric.

"Who gives this woman to this man?" The middle aged minister said kindly.

"Her brother and I do." Alan grinned and Wes chuckled lightly. The father kissed his daughter's cheek again and gave her hand to Eric, who took it and stepped up to the makeshift alter together. Rachael didn't really notice the black suit and dark crimson tie Eric was wearing, but the look in his eyes drew her completely in.

"Eric please recite your vows."

"I Eric, take thee Rachael, to be my wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, and I promise my love to you forevermore." He repeated looking right in her eyes without looking away from her face.

"Rachael." The minister turned to the bride.

"I Rachael, take thee Eric, to be my husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, and I promise my love to you forevermore."

"Now the rings." The minister said and Wes handed over the two rings he was carrying. The man handed on to Eric. "Please slide this ring on Rachael's finger while reciting this message. 'Rachael, with free and unconstrained soul, I give you all I am and all I am to become. Take this ring, and with it my promise of faith, patience, and love, for the rest of my life.'"

"Rachael, with free and unconstrained soul, I give you all I am and all I am to become. Take this ring, and with it my promise of faith, patience, and love, for the rest of my life." The minister handed Rachael Eric's ring and repeated the same line.

"Eric, with free and unconstrained soul, I give you all I am and all I am to become. Take this ring, and with it my promise of faith, patience, and love, for the rest of my life." Rachael couldn't stop smiling as their hands were intertwined between them.

"And now by the power vested in me by the state of California, I now pronounce you, man and wife. You may kiss your bride." The minister grinned. Eric leaned forward and kissed Rachael gently on her lips, the first time anyone in the room had seen them kiss. "And now, it is my great honor to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Eric Myers."

Their friends cheered as Eric and Rachael turned to them and stepped down from the alter into the small group of people who embraced them tightly. Grace and her husband and flown in from Florida with their four kids and Rachael bent down to meet them all.

"This is Caydence, Alexei, Melody, and the littlest, Joel." Grace smiled at her new sister-in-law as she hugged each of the four kids. They ran off to play and Rachael went right over to hug Trip and then Lucas, both looking dashing in their black suits.

"Congrats Lucas, we'll be there for you and 'Wyn in November." She promised and he grinned at her. After a while of the talking and catching up between the ranger team, Eric broke away from Grace's husband and wrapped his arms around Rachael from behind. She turned her face to him and grinned. "We did it." She whispered.

"You don't mind being married to just me?"

"Just you?" Rachael turned to him with an amused grin. "I think I'd rather be married to you than anyone else. I love your little house." She moved her face closer to his and he grinned.

"You mean 'our' little house." He kissed her but loud whooping cheers broke them apart to grin at Wes and Lucas.

"Alright, let's go eat." Eric scowled at Wes, but grinned as they all went outside on the lawn to eat under the stars and the lights they'd spent all day putting up. The garden was gorgeous, the lawns perfectly manicured and the one large table had a long white table cloth with purple and dark red ribbons and flower petals scattered along the table.

**Morning**

It felt like it had been a wonderful dream, one he didn't want to wake up from. So as Eric lay in his bed, he kept his eyes closed tightly, knowing that he was already awake, but not wanting to face the reality of an empty house again. But movement next to him caused his eyes to open in a flash, settling on the beautiful face of the person lying next to him. A large smile lit up his face as his brain recognized it hadn't been a dream, it was a magical reality, Rachael was his wife. Her face was peaceful in her sleep, and unable to resist her, he leaned in and kissed her forehead gently. She didn't stir from her sleep, but nestled into his arms, curling herself against him. Eric wrapped his arms tightly around her and pressed his cheek to her head, his nose burried in her hair.

Their wedding was simple but elegant thanks to her father, and here she was, lying in his arms, carrying his child. Sometimes he wished they'd come together in a more socially acceptable way, but Rachael walked with her head held high, proudly wearing the ring he'd given her, not caring what anyone said about her. He could only wish their child got her self assurance instead of his own doubts. Rachael was the love of his life, he'd known that since he met her all those years ago, and even when they were at odds arguing, he still loved her. When she was lying in his arms, peaceful in her sleep and as beautiful as ever it almost felt like he was even more in love with her if that was possible.

After a while she stirred, opening her eyes and meeting the sight of his bare chest at her eye level and a smile spread onto her face immediately as her eyes closed. She looked happy there, and it made him smile right back.

"Morning Mrs. Myers." He whispered against her hair and felt her back stretch in his arms and she smiled again.

"Morning." Rachael murmured softly and her hand pressed against his stomach. "I haven't slept that well in a while." Her eyes closed again and she pressed herself against him. "It's like last night was a dream, but here I am."

"Thank God you are." Eric murmured into her hair and she tilted her head up to look in his eyes, closing them again when he gently pressed his lips to hers.

"I love you." She smiled again and sighed contentedly. "Let's not get up today." She laughed at her joke and tucked her head back under his chin, enjoying the rumble of his laughter through his chest. But he was only happy to oblige, it wasn't like he had to work, Alan Collins had given him a week of paid vacation for their honeymoon which would start tomorrow when they were to fly to Miami and spend a few days on the beach. Today they had planned to just spend it together at home, relax for a few hours before going to Florida.

"Aren't you going to get hungry?" He murmured into her ear and she laughed against him.

"I can manage if you can." She pulled away from him and leaned over him, pressing her lips to his as his hands slid to her slim waist. What a lucky man he was.


	15. Three Births and a Funeral

**Five Months Later**

"Come on Courtney." Rachael said softly, rubbing her sister-in-laws hand gently. "You're doing really great." Courtney gasped in pain and squeezed Rachael's hand tightly. Rachael turned and flipped open her cell phone and put it to her ear.

"Eric, where the hell is Wes?" She whispered angrily.

"I have no idea, but I'm going to kill him when I find him." Eric snapped back. Rachael rolled her eyes and sighed angrily.

"Throw a punch for me." She muttered.

"Me too." Courtney moaned from the bed.

"One for me, one for Courtney." Rachael was grinning now. And Eric laughed despite himself

"You got it. I'll call you when I find him. Love you."

"I love you too." Rachael murmured before hanging up.

Eric drove through Silver Hills almost insanely to find Wes. No one had seen him all day, and Courtney had already been in labor for hours already. Suddenly Eric spotted a speck of red across the park near the reflecting pond. He parked the SUV and sprinted across the park. Wes was sitting under the tree staring intently at the water and it looked as if he'd been crying. Most of his anger melted away at seeing Wes look more pathetic than usual and Eric cleared his throat to get the other red ranger's attention.

"Hey Eric." He muttered.

"What's wrong?" Eric asked curiously.

"I love her." Wes said simply. "I love them both." He buried his face in his hands and made an angry noise. Eric closed his eyes when he realized who Wes was talking about.

"It's not wrong." He said quietly. "You can love them both. You'll always love Jen, but Courtney is here and can love you back. She needs you Wes."

"I feel guilty." Wes muttered, lifting his head and looking up at Eric. "I feel like I'm going to hurt her."

"You're hurting her right now by not being there for her." Eric frowned.

"What?" Wes tilted his head in confusion and Eric rolled his eyes.

"Great, you don't even know. Get in the SUV, Courtney's in labor." Wes paled and jumped up immediately and both ran to the car and drove to the hospital in silence. They both sprinted through the hospital to the maternity ward.

"I'm looking for my wife, Courtney Collins?"

"Wes!" Rachael's voice carried through the hallway. They both saw her standing in the there, relief flooding her face as the two men came up to her. "Get in there!" She pointed to the door and he dodged in it, right up to Courtney's side. Eric placed a hand on the baby bump between him and Rachael and grinned.

"Did she scare you?" He asked with a grin.

"Nah." Rachael grinned and then winced.

"What?" Eric asked, alarmed.

"Relax." She laughed and grabbed his hand, sliding it to the side of her stomach. He felt a thud against his hand and grinned. "Just two more months until we're in here."

"Yup, and I'll be swearing at you." She buried her face in his chest and sighed contentedly. "I can wait two more months though."

"Bronwyn and Lucas's wedding is first."

"That, I'm half not excited about." She mumbled into his chest. "I'm not going to fit in my bridesmaid's dress." Eric laughed and hugged her.

"You'll be the prettiest one there." He kissed her forehead and she leaned her head upward and he grinned at what she wanted. He bent down and kissed her lips softly before leading her to the chairs across the large hallway where they sat, arms wrapped around each other, for news. After a few more hours of labor, Alan Collins came through the doors of the wing and saw his daughter and son-in-law.

"Dad, you came." She smiled softly and Alan hugged his little girl.

"Of course, I'm about to have a grandchild." He grinned and then nodded to Eric who returned the gesture. "I had an important meeting until now, how is she?"

"So far, so good," Rachael replied, "After we finally found Wes." She rolled her eyes. Just then Courtney's family started to show up. Her mother, older brother and identical twin sisters sat with them as they all waited for the baby. Rachael spent the time talking with Kaitlynn, the older of the twins about Courtney growing up while Eric talked to Liam, her older brother.

After another hour or so of waiting they heard the familiar sound of a baby crying and Rachael's hands flew up to her mouth, her eyes alight with happiness. The four women jumped up and crowded by the door as Wes came out and pulled his sister into a hug, one hand on her pregnant stomach.

"It's a boy." He said against her hair and Rachael looked up and hugged him tightly. All the family members said their congratulations and gave Wes hugs before he went back in to see his wife and son. A half an hour later they were allowed in, and they all 'oohed' and 'aahed' over the baby.

"So, what's his name?" Rachael asked, touching the sleeping child's head gently.

"Christopher." Courtney whispered softly, "Christopher Schuyler Collins."

"But we'll call him Sky." Wes grinned from the other side of her.

"Chris." Courtney shot him a look that only made him grin. Their families laughed at the exchange between the couple and the baby took a trip around the room, held by each person before landing in Eric's arms. Rachael wrapped her arms around him and looked at her husband holding their nephew.

"Excited?" She whispered, laying her hand on her seven month stomach. Eric turned his head and kissed her temple.

"Thrilled."

**Months Later, Millennium City, year 3002**

Bronwyn paced the floor, nervous and wringing her hands. "I can't do this."

"And why not." Rachael didn't even bother forming it as a question.

"I don't know."

"Exactly." Rachael leaned forward and rested her hand on her overlarge stomach. "Now, stop pacing and let me do your hair, I can only stand for so long these days." Bronwyn looked back at her best friend and grinned, sitting down in obedience.

"Thank you." Rachael grinned and took pieces of Bronwyn's now longer blonde hair in her hands and started pulling it back, wrapping it into curls and around the tiara and veil. "Very pretty." She grinned, putting her face down by Bronwyn's.

"Thanks for coming." The blonde said tearfully, smiling at her best friend.

"No problem, now stop crying before you ruin your make-up." Rachael gripped her best friend's shoulders. "Now, you love him and he loves you. You are going to walk down that aisle and say "I do" and live happily ever after, got it?"

"What if he leaves?" Bronwyn's eyes were filled angst at this thought.

"Why would you think that, he's not going to leave you." Rachael shook her head.

"Jen hasn't been so lucky." Bronwyn muttered.

"What?" Rachael stood back. "I thought you said he was a good guy!" Her eyes were wide and her hand flew to her stomach.

"He was, she left him."

"Bronwyn, you and Lucas had your problems, those are solved, and when more arise you can handle it! Do you think Eric and I get along perfectly now? I wish!" She sat Bronwyn down in front of the mirror and put the final touches on her hair and make-up. "Just last week we were at each other's throats about naming this kid." Laughing, she placed Bronwyn's veil on her head. "The important thing is that at the end of the day we still love each other, and instead of holding it in for twenty years and getting divorced, it's out in the open to deal with now."

"That's remarkably intelligent." The blonde woman commented.

"Thank you now put on that dress and let's get you married." Rachael smiled and hugged her best friend tightly.

**December 21****st**** 2003**

"She's beautiful." Rachael whispered softly, staring down at the tiny baby in her arms. Her husband was perched on the edge of her bed, arm around her shoulder, the other hand gently touching the dark wisps of hair on the baby's head. This small person, lying in the arms of the woman he'd been in love with for what seemed like as long as he could remember, was his daughter. He hadn't realized until just now how much he could love a single person, and now he was completely absorbed by two. His daughter was his newest love, one he'd never let go, but although he'd thought it impossible, he loved Rachael more today than he had any other time in his life. And now with her in his arms, and their daughter in hers, he felt whole.

"She already looks like you." He murmured softly, his finger brushing along her tiny cheek. Rachael turned her head to look at him, her nose gently brushing his cheek and he looked to her as well.

"She's ours." She whispered softly, her eyes welling up. Eric smiled and kissed her cheek, tightening his arm around her, and as she tipped her head downward he pressed his lips against her forehead.

"She needs a name." He said softly, looking back down at the sleeping child. "And you didn't like anything else I suggested."

Rachael laughed lightly, "I liked Elizabeth, your mother's name."

"I don't think she's an Elizabeth." Eric said and looked at the baby who was stirring, yawning and shifting in her mother's arms. "Lauren." He grinned at his daughter. "Lauren Elizabeth."

"Myers." Rachael filled in with a smile. "Lauren Elizabeth Myers. It's perfect."

"Perfect." Eric kissed his wife gently.

**Six Years Later**

"Mom! I don't want to leave!"

Rachael laughed at her daughter's persistence. "Babe we have to go, Uncle Wes and Aunt Courtney have to go to the hospital to get the new baby."

"But I wanna play with Chris." Lauren pouted.

"Chris and Miranda are coming with us; now put your coat on." Rachael hurried her daughter who seemed to go into hyperdrive getting ready. Soon she had all three kids in her car and called her husband from the road using her Bluetooth.

"Hey, Wes and Courtney are going to the hospital, so we have two dinner guests." She grinned.

"Sounds good, I'll pick up the pizza." Eric replied, a grin in his voice. A few hours later he pulled in the driveway and brought in two round pizzas, one with only cheese, and a second with other toppings for himself and Rachael. "Rach!" He called out, walking through the three running children that were having fun in their yard.

"Hey." Rachael came out of the kitchen with a smile on her face and took the pizzas from him to put on the counters while he took off his jacket. "Wes just called, so far everything's fine."

"Awesome." Eric threw his jacket down and kissed his wife. "How's ours?"

"Thrilled that her cousins could come home with her." Rachael replied with a grin. "Although the moment they realize that you brought the pizza they'll be in here before we can breathe." Eric pulled her into his arms and kissed her again.

"Then we should be quick."

"Pizza!!" Three small voices yelled with joy as they piled into the kitchen from the back door. Eric and Rachael separated and assisted the two five year olds and four year old Miranda Collins with their food. Pizza, a movie, and a lot of protesting later, all three were tucked into bed, the two girls in Lauren's bed, Chris on the living room couch in a sleeping bag.

"Finally." Rachael leaned against the kitchen sink and released a breath. "Let's not have three, I can't take that all the time." She smiled wearily at her husband who pulled her into his arms again. She closed her eyes and leaned her face against his chest and breathed deeply, but as the phone rang her head jolted upward and she grabbed it. "Hello? Wes." She smiled, but it didn't last. In a few seconds her face shifted from joy to complete horror, her eyes widening with fear. "Oh my God." She fell against the counter, her free hand gripping the marble with all the strength in her body. "I'll be right there." She said softly. "I love you, bye." The phone made a defined click as she hung up.

"What's wrong?" Eric asked anxiously, and Rachael looked up at him, tears starting to well up in her eyes.

"Courtney's gone. Eric, she died."


	16. A Helping Hand

**Silver Hills General Hospital**

The world seemed to be swirling around him, nonstop motion that threatened to envelop his senses completely, making him stumble around without direction. He was faintly aware of his sister's presence next to him, answering questions for him and directing the hospital staff with the baby. His baby, his and Courtney's baby. But Courtney would never meet the baby; she died before they could bring them together. She's gone, the woman that helped heal him from losing Jen, the woman who he'd loved for the past seven years and given him two other beautiful children. She was gone, dead, lifeless in the operating room where they'd had to immediately remove the child from her to save its life when Courtney was already gone.

"Wes." Rachael's voice echoed into his brain. "Wes they're asking if you have a name for the baby." He tried to speak, but his mind couldn't create a sentence so he resorted to shaking his head. Rachael's hand gripped his shoulder and he ducked his head in his hands, not wanting to see whatever was happening around him.

Rachael was trying to hold herself together for Wes' sake only; there wasn't much else she could do. She was still numb, very numb, and unable to function. She needed help, but Eric had to stay with the children, and their Dad was out of the country.

"Rachael, oh my God, Rachael." A woman's voice entered her mind, barely giving her time to comprehend who it was before she was nearly suffocated in her grasp. She just held her for a few minutes before releasing her enough to face each other.

"You always know when to show up."

"I try." Bronwyn held Rachael with one arm, the other sliding to grip Wes' shoulder with as much comfort as she could.

**One Month Later**

Fury seemed to radiate from the young woman who was storming down the halls of the pristine building. Her eyes were set ahead in a glare, her simple clothing sticking out from the people in uniform who were ducking out of her way from fear of getting plowed over. She came up to a set of double doors and flung them open without any sort of pause, and entered the room without breaking speed. The room before her was like a forum, layers of desks and chairs circled a center console. There were only a few people in the room, but they all looked up and stared as she immediately descended the aisle stairs and faced the man in the center with her hands on her hips.

"My brother is dying." She sneered at him with all the ferociousness in her being. Captain Logan's eyes were wide with fear and surprise at her entrance.

"What?" Katie's voice came from behind Rachael, pure shock radiating from her and the other former Time Force rangers in the room, but the dark haired woman ignored their shock and continued to stare down the man in front of her.

"I've supplied sufficient proof and evidence for my proposal, and Bronwyn has offered more than her fair share of work and time for this. You know it's the right thing to do, and as time passes you're threatening to ruin the future that you hold so preciously in your hands." She straightened her back, hands balled into fists at her side. "Just do it already." Her face slipped to a more tired look and the others caught a glimpse of her current state.

Rachael looked terrible, once a dark radiant beauty, she was now tired and drawn, aged beyond her years. Her once shiny long black hair was dull and tied haphazardly behind her head, dark circles around her eyes, not a touch of make-up anywhere near her face. She looked thinner than before, the unhealthy thin that left her clothing hanging off her body. But her face was set in a determined stare, using every ounce of power she had to stare down Logan.

"Execute the plan immediately." Logan stood up as Rachael's shoulders relaxed, her hands coming up as if she were going to pray or salute, but her weak state just managed to drop them back to her sides. Her eyes closed and legs started shaking when Bronwyn got up from where the rangers were and helped her to a chair where Rachael leaned over her knees, surrounded by her friends, her eyes filling with tears.

"We got it." Bronwyn stroked Rachael's hair slightly. Rachael lifted her head to see Lucas, Tripp, Katie and Jen looking at her with concerned faces, concerned for her and their friend, colleague and her brother.

"Rachael what happened?" Katie asked, resting her hand on Rachael's back.

"Courtney went into labor, and the next thing we knew she was gone." She whispered, covering her mouth with her hands, feeling the horror of her friends around her. "Wes isn't handling it well, he refuses to see his children, he refuses to eat or leave the house, he's just killing himself slowly." Rachael sniffed. "It's so hard."

"What did you need from Logan?" Tripp asked curiously, looking right into Rachael's eyes as she looked up. She didn't answer but her eyes darted to Jen and then to Bronwyn who straightened.

"Jen." Bronwyn looked at her sister. "We're taking you to 2009." Jen's mouth opened in shock.

"You're the only one that can help him." Rachael looked pleadingly at the former pink ranger who was shaking her head in shock. "He won't like it at first, but we've," she gestured to Bronwyn, "Been researching what little of the timeline we're allowed access to, and it all falls perfectly into place." Rachael nearly pleaded. "One of the Lieutenants from the future told us all we needed to know." Bronwyn's back straightened immediately as her eyes fixed on something over their heads at the doorway and they all looked up where she was looking.

A girl stood in the door way, arms and legs crossed as she leaned against the doorframe. Her face was set into an intent stare, a concerned look toward the rangers. Her hair was tied behind her head, and in the dark, you could only tell it was a dark color, matching her intense dark eyes. Her clothing was simple, jeans and a black t-shirt, a few silver jewelry accents scattered around her thin frame. As she got the rangers attention on herself she smiled warmly at Rachael, nodding to her, Bronwyn and finally looking directly into Jen's eyes, staring down the pink ranger who was gaping. Without warning she pushed herself up from the doorframe and turned on her heel, leaving in a whirl of dark hair, as if she had never actually been there.

"She's so weird." Bronwyn shook her head and pulled Rachael to her feet.

"Who is she?" Lucas looked at his wife with a frown and she shrugged.

"We don't know, we're not really allowed to." Bronwyn answered.

"She's even after my time." Rachael added. "And Logan tries to keep me in the dark about a lot, and I don't blame him, but this." She looked back at Jen. "This we got by pulling a few strings, and twisting some regulations." She sent a wince toward Bronwyn who was trying to stifle her own embarrassed grin. They composed themselves and Rachael looked at Jen, who still looked as if she didn't know or like what was going on. "Bronwyn will help you pack your things; I'll meet you guys in Silver Hills, the new clocktower." She looked at Bronwyn who nodded.

"New clocktower?" Katie asked with slight confusion. As far as she and the other rangers knew the clocktower had been destroyed by Ransik back in 2001.

"Dad rebuilt it, made it into a sort of power ranger museum." Rachael's face got a hint of a grin. "I work there now instead of Silver Guardians; I couldn't take being a secretary anymore."

"You mean you and Eric weren't going to stay married if you had to keep taking his orders." Bronwyn gave her best friend a knowing look and Rachael's face broke into a smile.

"Yeah, pretty much." She looked up, a shadow of her normal self showing through. "We love each other, but we still don't get along all the time." She stretched her back as they started to walk up the stairs as a group. The talk was sparse, small updates on Lauren and her cousins, and updates from the future occupied their conversation as Rachael sat down with Tripp, Katie and Lucas while Bronwyn and Jen packed up her things.

"Bronwyn I can't do this." Jen said, pausing her packing, holding a shirt in her hands, gripping it carefully. "Why should I do this? I haven't seen him in years; he just lost his wife, why would he want to see me?"

"He'll get over it." Bronwyn didn't look up and snatched the shirt from Jen's hands, stuffing it into the duffle bag they were packing.

"What do you know that I don't?" Jen tried to ask, knowing the answer before it came.

"A lot." Bronwyn finally looked up. "And you know how stubborn he is, but you're just as stubborn, maybe worse." She tried to smile. "You have to save his life Jen."

"Why?"

"Because he thinks he killed Courtney."

"What?" Jen was taken aback. Her eyes wide, her mouth dropped as Bronwyn explained.

"Rachael told me that the day Chris was born Wes told Eric he felt guilty because he still loved you." She sighed. "Rachael says that he really loved Courtney, but he never resolved the feelings for you, so it never left him. When Courtney died, he somehow got it into his mind that if he had given you up completely she'd still be alive."

"That's insane."

"We know, but he doesn't." Bronwyn threw the stuff down and took her sister's face in her hands. "He needs to figure this out, and we have concrete evidence that you and Rachael are the informants in that time period. That's all I can tell you."

"But you know more."

"Only a little, but I'm not supposed to, I accidentally saw it, even Rachael doesn't know." Bronwyn shook her head. "Trust us Jen, you can save him, we need you to save him. Even if he doesn't want you to."

**Silver Hills**

Rachael closed the door to the inside of the mansion carefully and quietly, trying to not disturb Wes or the kids who should have been asleep by now. She motioned for Jen to follow her up the stairs and up to her old room where she threw down the bags. "You can stay here."

"Your room?" Jen asked.

"Yeah," Rachael smiled at the walls, "There's a hologram computer under the floorboards." She pointed to three floorboards that were perfectly lined up, odd in the immaculately staggered flooring. She swung back around the bed and out the bedroom door again, motioning for Jen to follow her. They went down the hallway and came to a small nursery like room where Rachael pulled a tiny baby out of her crib. "This is Ashlynn." She murmured, holding the baby close to her. "Bronwyn and I named her."

"She's precious." Jen said, tilting her head to look at the baby, wringing her hands together. Rachael held the baby to her and Jen awkwardly took her into her arms. Ashlynn lay on her back in the crook of Jen's arm, eyes closed, sleeping peacefully through this small introduction.

"I'll be back tomorrow before they're up." Rachael said reassuringly. "If she cries the night nanny will take care of her, so don't worry about that." She sighed. "Wes won't come out for a while, so don't worry about seeing him." She frowned briefly before sighing. "Just lay her on her stomach when you're done." She touched Jen's shoulder as she exited the room and ultimately the house. Jen sat carefully down in the rocking chair in the corner of the room, trying to make sense of what Rachael had told her as they stepped through the time warp. She was supposed to make a life here as she did her job, but since her job with Time Force was suddenly less demanding, she was going to try and get Wes out of his depression and save his life, giving Rachael and Eric a break from their full time babysitting.

**Myers Home**

Rachael closed the door behind her and all her brain could concentrate on was getting to her bed, but as she turned around, movement in the dark startled her. "Oh my God." She put her hand to her heart and then her forehead. "You could have said something."

"Sorry." Eric murmured as he came up and pulled her into his arms, holding her in their small kitchen. She rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes, finally comforted and relaxed. "Did it work?" He asked after a while.

"Yeah." She murmured softly, falling asleep standing up. Eric leaned over and scooped her up into his arms and carried her to their bed, the same bed that nearly six years earlier they had started their relationship. He laid her down, and in a few minutes had her dressed in comfortable pajama pants and one of his old t-shirts with minimal help from her. She curled up into his arms as he slid into bed next to her; he stroked her hair until she was asleep a few minutes later. Eric kissed his wife's forehead, relaxed as he was wrapped around her. His last thoughts were hopeful ones as he drifted off to sleep, hope for his best friend and his family, hope for his own little family, and hope for their futures.

**Early Morning, One Week Later**

Rachael slid into the huge mansion smiling at the scent that met her, but her heart leaping at the sight of who was standing at the top of the stairs. Wes looked horrible, and it had been almost two weeks since she'd actually seen him like this. He was wearing loose sweatpants and a large red t-shirt, looking with an intensely curious face over the railing. He looked into his sister's face and his head tilted, and she immediately knew what he was wondering.

The whole house smelled like pancakes, or waffles, but it was a warm scent, coupled with maple syrup the distinct touch of bacon. Previously the only reason that there would have been such a breakfast created this early in the morning would be if Rachael had made it for Chris before he went to Kindergarten, but Rachael had just walked through the door. He'd seen her. The silent moment between the siblings was broken when Chris bolted past her, tugging his red backpack on his back as he ran, yelling behind him.

"Bye Aunt Rachael!" His impish voice called as sprinted out the door to where Eric was waiting in the SUV to take both him and Lauren to their school. She didn't answer, but that didn't matter to the five year old. Wes took the steps down the stairs and went to the kitchen door, Rachael following behind him to see what he saw, unable to warn the occupant of what was happening.

The sight that met Wes' eyes in the kitchen stunned him into a standstill. Jen was leaning over the counter to where Miranda was trying to eat her food as fast as the four year old could with her little fork. Her brown hair was tied up behind her head in a bun, a smile on her face as she talked to the little girl who happily giggled back. There was an apron over her pink t-shirt, jeans behind the counter. Ashlynn lay peacefully in a little bassinet beside her, all clean, fed and dressed for the day.

"Yeah, and then what did you do with the flower?" Jen asked.

"I gave it to Aunt Rachael." Miranda replied matter-of-factly. "It was a pretty purple flower, she likes purple." She nodded like Jen should have known that. It was then that Jen caught sight of the two people standing in the doorframe, one with a look of fear, the other in complete shock. She straightened and Miranda looked at what she was looking at. "Daddy!" She shouted and leapt off the chair and toward her father, face-planting into his legs, holding off like she was never going to let him go. Wes tore his eyes from Jen and pulled Miranda off his legs, hoisting her up into his arms. Rachael opened her mouth to speak, but Wes just turned and went to the table, holding Miranda tightly in his arms as she gripped him back, sitting down in the chair.

Rachael and Jen exchanged looks of horror, they knew this was coming, but they'd hoped to bring him out slower, not just throw him back into family life. Rachael went to the counter, a few feet from where Jen was standing and watched Wes silently interacting with his daughter.

"Why don't you go upstairs and play with your dolls for a little bit?" Wes finally spoke to her and she nodded happily, and blissfully unaware of the tension in the room, she skipped out and up the stairs to her room. He looked between the two women and leaned forward on the table.

"She's working with me." Rachael finally spoke. "I'm sorry to have her intrude here, but there's no room at our house for her to stay." Her back straightened as he looked up at her.

"I don't want her here." He nearly snarled.

"Tough." Rachael shot back. Jen ducked her head and Wes felt a pang of guilt, but he brushed it away. Jen raised her head and glared at him.

"I'm not leaving." She said simply, picking up Miranda's left plate. "Rachael needs my help, and so do Chris and Miranda." Her eyes met his defiantly. Wes stood up from the table and left the room without a word, the definite slamming of a door telling them he'd returned to his room.

"That didn't go well." Rachael sat onto one of the barstools that sat at the counter and rested her head in one hand as Jen leaned against the counter.

"For him, that was a pretty easy defeat."

"No kidding." Rachael leaned back and placed her hand absently on her stomach. Jen noticed and smiled.

"Hungry?"

"Yeah." Rachael smiled weakly, eyeing the pan of pancakes. "When did you learn to cook?"

"I've been single for five years; I got bored so Bronwyn taught me." Jen frowned and rolled her eyes. "It's more of a hobby in Millennium City, but Chris and Miranda seemed to like it." She set a pancake in front of Rachael who took a quick bite, her back straightening like something had hit her. Rachael's eyes went to Jen's, a look of surprise on her face.

"This is delicious!" She exclaimed. "What is in it?" Jen blushed happily at the compliment.

"I just followed Bronwyn's recipe." She shrugged happily. "Glad you liked them." She continued to make more and placed them carefully on a plate as Rachael ate hers, watching what Jen was doing curiously, but silently. The brunette took the plate out of the room confusing the other woman who just stayed. A minute later Jen came back and started cleaning things up methodically, Rachael paused and couldn't take it anymore.

"What did you do with that plate?"

"I gave it to Wes." Jen replied simply.

"What?"

"I knocked on the door and left it on the floor."

"He won't eat it."

"That's his problem.

Rachael looked down at her plate, trying to think of what to do, but Ashlynn cried out from where she lay and she got up to hold the baby and calm her down. Holding her niece in her arms, Rachael just shook her head and hushed the baby easily, laying her down in her little bed underneath the colorful mobile above her head.

"If you've got things here, I guess I'm going to work." Rachael nodded and left the mansion, incredulous to the nerve that both Jen and Wes had. They'd make it, they had to, for the sake of those three little kids, they just had to.


	17. Barely Holding On

**Silver Guardian's Headquarters**

Eric leaned over the paperwork carefully, working hard to get them just right. Wes had quit over a month ago, and he'd taken over the paperwork since. Unbeknownst to Wes, both Eric and Rachael had put his job status as "on a sabbatical" as they waited for the day he'd come out of his room and get back to his life. But that meant that the remaining co-captain had to make up for the rest of the paperwork, and pretty much pull double duty like he had before Wes had joined him at the position, at least minus fighting Ransik. Tired, Eric leaned over his desk, resting his forehead on the cool wood. His head jolted upward when a pair of hands gripped his shoulders gently, two thumbs pushing into the tense muscles.

"When did you get here?" He asked with a snide smile. Rachael moved her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

"I slipped in." She grinned and pulled back, continuing to massage his shoulders. "You're really tense." She commented.

"I wonder why." He muttered sarcastically as her hands paused for a fraction of a second before they started again.

"It'll get better now." Rachael murmured softly. "He saw Jen today, he even held Miranda for a few minutes." Her voice sounded hopeful. "He won't look at Ashlynn though."

"He's stubborn."

"Seems to be a trait we all share." Rachael dug her fingers a little deeper than comfortable for a brief second to tease him. "Jen's not taking anything from him, just like old times." She lifted her hands as Eric turned around and pulled her into his lap, their foreheads touching.

"I miss you." He whispered, looking up at her. Rachael cupped his head in her hands.

"I'm sorry, I know I've put him before us lately, but he's my brother." She frowned. "You and Lauren are my life, but I can't stand to see him like this." Eric stopped her excuses with a deep kiss, and the intimacy starved couple melded together for the first time in a long while. Rachael broke it off and pushed away from him. "Not here." She whispered with a fire in her eye, one he hadn't seen in a while. "I'll see you at home." Eric watched as his wife left the office, a grin on his face for the rest of the day.

**Myers Home, Evening**

"Mommy, I don wanna." The six year old protested with a frown as Rachael tucked her into the bed.

"Too bad, it's time for bed." Rachael grabbed a book from the bookshelf and started reading, every once and a while looking up at her daughter to check how awake she was. When the story was over, Lauren was nearly unconscious, eyes closed, completely relaxed in her bed. Smiling, Rachael replaced the book on the shelf and kissed Lauren on her forehead when she opened her big brown eyes and looked right into her mother's face.

"You're not going to leave me right?"

Rachael's heart fell to the bottom of her stomach and was totally speechless. In an instant she slid into Lauren's little bed and scooped her into her arms. "No baby, I'm never going to leave you." She kissed Lauren's head over and over.

"Why did Aunt Courtney have to leave?"

"I don't know baby, but she didn't want to." Rachael hugged her. "You remember what Daddy and I told you about heaven."

"Yeah." Lauren didn't sound convinced.

"Aunt Courtney is watching over Chris, Miranda, Ashlynn and us. You know that." Rachael rocked in the bed, almost telling herself that over and over as Lauren drifted back off to sleep. Finally, the little girl fell asleep and Rachael slid out from underneath her, tucked her in and left the room, snapping off the lights. She took a deep breath in the short hallway before taking the next few steps to her room where in a second she was tackled onto the bed, pinned down.

The next thing her brain registered was being kissed all over her lips, face and neck. Her mind struggled against it for a few moments, feeling it was wrong in their situation, but the need took over and she started reciprocating the attention.

Eric hungrily kissed his wife all over her face and neck, his need for her rising rapidly, having suppressed it for so many months that they were helping Wes, releasing it he felt starved for her. He wrestled her shirt off, kissing her chest and down to the soft skin that her bra didn't cover. Rachael moaned softly under his kisses, her hands weakly grasping at where his shirt met his jeans. In a swift movement he pulled it off of himself and to the floor, giving her a brief window of time to shimmy her jeans to her knees where he yanked them the rest of the way off, his pants joining hers a few seconds later.

Without warning, she pushed him on his back and climbed on top of him, kissing his neck and bare chest, smiling as she kissed his still very toned stomach. This was a plus of being married to a Silver Guardian, his body had stayed very hot from his exercise, while hers had gone through a few changes around her pregnancy, but almost five years after getting in shape again, she wasn't in such bad shape herself. Neither of them even noticed when they tipped off the edge of their bed and landed on the floor, Rachael pinned to the floor. Eric entered her there as they silently made love, careful not to disturb the sleeping five year old in the next room.

**Collins Mansion**

Jen stood carefully behind the nanny, watching as she methodically removed the soiled diaper from Ashlynn and replacing it with a clean one in less than a minute. Ashlynn had cried out in the night for a diaper change, and Jen had come to see her as the nanny had, only annoying her with her presence. The woman ignored her standing there and tossed the diaper away, putting the baby back into the small white onesie and wrapping her in the blanket before nearly thrusting her into Jen's arms as she exited the room. Jen frowned and looked down at the baby, whose bright violet eyes were staring back up at her as if she had the same exact question.

"What's her problem?" Jen asked with a smile and carefully tucked her back into her bed. She smiled and turned to leave the room, but stopped, seeing the almost ghost of a person standing there.

"She hates working nights." He said softly, arms wrapped around his chest tightly, as if he was uncomfortable and insecure in his own home, or rather the home he shared with his father. In the two short weeks Jen had been in 2011, Alan Collins had insisted that Wes and Courtney stay in the large house as he was rarely there most of the time, preferring to spent most of his time working with his companies on the East Coast, returning for only a few days at a time each, Rachael was convinced her father had found a woman who he didn't want to stay away from, but there was no proof of that.

"But she's a nanny." Jen said the first thing that came into her mind.

"A very mean one." Wes nearly whispered the next sentence, saying more in this short few moments than he had the entire time she'd been here. He walked toward the crib, his hands shoved in his pockets and looked at the little baby. "The one Rachael and I had was a lot nicer."

"You had a nanny too?" Jen bit her tongue to keep herself from commenting about his very well off upbringing again.

"Yeah." He replied simply. "I never wanted that for my kids." His voice was sad, and almost as gaunt as his face.

"It's not your fault." Jen said softly, but he shook his head sadly. "Stop blaming yourself." She snapped at him, already fed up with his moping. "Your children need you. Yes your heart is broken, yes you're in pain, but they lost their mother, so get up and deal with it." She left the room without a backwards glance, almost too furious to even think about what she had just said. By the time she got back to her room she was breathing slower and closed her eyes, praying what she did had been the right thing.

**Early Morning, Some Weeks Later**

Jen smiled as she woke up, stretching into her bed as she sat up and threw off the covers. After she dressed in a pair of jeans and pink t-shirt, she made her way to Ashlynn's room, but found the baby's crib empty. That usually meant the day nanny was there and had gotten her and the other two ready for school while she'd been sleeping. The nannies both hated her, Rachael's theory was that they figured she was just playing mom, and would leave eventually. How wrong they were. Jen smiled at the thought as she doubled checked her theory by peeking into both Chris and Miranda's rooms, she loved 'playing mom'. It was a weird feeling, taking care of Wes' kids, the kids he'd had with another woman, a very kind woman that she'd met once, at Rachael's wedding. Courtney was calm, very kind, and understanding, knowing her husband still held a torch for her.

"Morning." A little voice said from the hallway. Jen smiled down at the pajama clad Miranda.

"Morning sweetheart." Jen replied.

"Help me get dressed?" The four year old mumbled out the sentence fragment, most of her words slurred and poorly enunciated, but Jen smiled and nodded as the little blonde girl led her into her room. Miranda dragged her little black teddy bear with her to her closet and sat on the floor, looking up at the clothes that packed it. Jen went over and sat next to her, cross legged on the floor.

"What color do you want to wear?" Jen asked, looking at her. Miranda looked at her, then thoughtfully at the closet, then stuck her teddy's ear into her mouth, chewing it as she thought. A few years ago the action probably would have grossed Jen out, but as she got older, her maternal instinct grew stronger, even she couldn't deny that.

"Puple." Miranda finally said nodding definitively, looking at Jen with her violet eyes. "And gween."

"Purple and green." Jen repeated and looked up at the clothes the little girl had ready for her. Half wishing Bronwyn was here to help her pick out the clothes; she finally found a green dress and purple leggings for the little girl to wear. Miranda was silent as she got her dressed, getting clean underpants and finding a pair of slip on shoes for her to wear and, although it took Rachael less time, she had her dressed in what she thought was an acceptable outfit. "How's that?" she asked.

Miranda didn't verbalize her answer, but started to rock her body side to side without moving her feet. "Hair." She said finally and Jen smiled, grabbing the little pink hairbrush from the dresser and started pulling the soft bristles through the tangled blonde curls. After a few minutes of brushing, Miranda looked into the mirror to Jen's face behind her and asked the hardest question Jen had ever heard. "Are you my new Mommy?" Jen paused her brushing, but continued after a few seconds and turned her around to face her.

"Miranda, sweetheart, no one will ever replace your Mommy." Jen said with a sad smile and the little girl nodded. "I'm just here to help your Dad and Aunt Rachael, and you." She smiled, brushing the blonde curls behind Miranda's ear. "No one will replace your Mom." She repeated and Miranda nodded that she understood.

"Thank you for doing my hair Jen." She said seriously. "Pigtails please." Miranda ordered her and, after a struggle, Jen managed to get her hair into two pretty symmetrical pigtails on either side of her head. Miranda was happy with the results and happily jumped off of the chair she was sitting in and grabbed Jen's hand, leading her toward the stairs and toward the kitchen.

"Well aren't you pretty today." Rachael told her niece from behind the counter where she was cleaning.

"Jen helped me." Miranda told her. "She's not as fast as you, but I like her anyway." The four year old said matter-of-factly, going to where her dolls were stashed in the corner of the kitchen and sitting down to play with them, her teddy still tucked under her arm.

"Thanks." Rachael smiled and Jen sat at one of the stools to the counter.

"It was no problem, I had fun." She smiled at the very happy girl who was humming doing the dishes.

"Maid's day off?" Jen asked amused at her friend's antics.

"Yeah, I fed Mira and Sky before he and Lauren went to school, so I figured heck, I'll do the dishes." She shrugged with a smile.

"Sky?" Jen asked curiously.

"Yeah, Wes nicknamed him that when he was born, pissed Courtney off." Rachael frowned, "And as far as I can tell he's rebelling against losing his mother, so he wants to be called Sky now." She shrugged. "Call him whichever name, he's answering to both. Honestly this is pretty good for a five year old's rebellion." Rachael shrugged and Jen frowned.

"Miranda asked me if I was her new mom." She said quietly, trying to not disturb the little girl as she was playing. Rachael winced at the comment. "I said no, I'm just helping out, and she accepted that."

"She's a smart kid, they both are." Rachael looked down at her niece. "Chris really needs his Dad right now."

"They're lucky to have an Aunt to help out." Jen pointed out and Rachael beamed, not just her usual smile, a bright happy radiance. "You look incredibly happy." She commented. Rachael grinned.

"I feel good." She agreed with a smile. "I've actually been able to sleep with you here."

"Sleep?" Jen asked raising her eyebrow. "I sincerely doubt you and Eric are sleeping." Rachael blushed deep crimson and turned away from Jen briefly to set down the dish she had been cleaning for too long. Jen knew she was spot on with her guess and started grabbing the makings of a bowl of cereal. Rachael picked up Ashlynn and rocked the baby as Jen ate her food.

"Would you like the bad news now?" She asked and Jen looked at her with a curious frown. "The day nanny quit, that's why I'm here today, I didn't want to leave you by yourself."

"You're taking another day off work?" Jen asked with a frown. "You've missed so many already." Rachael shrugged.

"We're already off schedule on opening our ranger museum anyway." She moved the baby from one arm to the other. "One more day isn't doing much."

"But it's your job." Jen protested. "I can take care of these two today."

"And Chris when he gets home from school?" Rachael asked curiously. "Do you really think you're able to take care of three kids by yourself?"

"I took care of Lucas, Katie and Tripp for a while there." Jen grinned to Rachael's amusement.

"Yeah, but they were capable of feeding themselves." Rachael laughed. "Well, if you really want to, I'll stop by after work, we'll eat dinner together." She smiled, "Eric will love to see this."

"Thank you for your support."

"Welcome." Rachael grinned and gently lay the baby down in the bassinet. "I do have something else to do today. Good luck with them." She smiled sympathetically as she left the house. Jen took a deep breath, taking care of two kids for the day, and then three in the afternoon. This was going to be interesting.

**Evening**

"Could you just drive a little faster?" Rachael pleaded with her husband as they crossed town from their little house over to the huge mansion. They'd had this argument what seemed like a million times. Eric, as a defender of the law, refused to go even a few miles over the speed limit, and Rachael was generally annoyed by his refusal.

"No." He replied with a teasing grin. "Even if we're a minute earlier, the disaster will still be there."

"Have a little faith in her." Rachael frowned.

"Is Grampa going to be there?!" Lauren yelled to her parents from the backseat. Eric looked at his daughter in the rearview mirror and grinned.

"Not this time baby." He smiled at his daughter and with a glance toward his wife.

"Ok." Lauren kicked her legs out at the air as her eyes gazed out the window at the landscapes that flew by her out the darkly tinted windows.

"I wish my Dad would just come home." Rachael mumbled quietly so Lauren wouldn't hear. Eric didn't answer; he didn't know what to say, so he just took his right hand off of the steering wheel and took her left hand. The huge black SUV pulled up in front of the large white house and Lauren had herself unbuckled and out of the car before Eric and Rachael could even get their seatbelts undone. They couldn't help but laugh at the energy the little girl had, as they followed her up to the front door, Eric still holding onto his wife's hand.

Happy screams met them as they opened the door, shuffling the food they were carrying. Miranda and Lauren were tackling a figure in the middle that was trying to wrestle them back, and laughing as she did so. Jen managed to wave to them as the little girls were trying to bring her down, laughing as they tried. Impressed at how happy things were, Rachael took the food into the kitchen and set it on the counter where Eric started cooking. There weren't many things in his cooking repertoire, but the kids loved it when they put together pizzas on frozen shells and let the older ones throw ingredients onto them. After Miranda and Lauren bored of tackling Jen, they ran up to Miranda's room to play with her toys there. Out of breath, Jen joined Eric and Rachael in the kitchen where Ashlynn was sleeping quietly.

"Looks like things went better than I expected today." Rachael grinned, leaning on the counter.

"It was good." Jen agreed, but she frowned. "But Chris went right up to his room and he won't come out."

"I don't blame him." Eric frowned too. "He probably has the most awareness of losing his Mom and his Dad not being around." Rachael placed a hand on his shoulder.

"How old were you when your Dad died?" She asked quietly and Jen looked at him in surprise. She knew a lot more about Eric since she'd been here, mostly from talking to Rachael, but she hadn't known his father had died.

"I was fourteen, a lot older than he was, and I'd already had to deal with my mom getting sicker." He shrugged. "My sister was always there for me, I turned out alright." He smiled at his wife. "And Wes and Chris have you, and now they have Jen."

The former pink ranger smiled weakly, feeling a little uncomfortable in their presence, they were so sure of their lives, and here she was, an intruder to Wes' psyche. But Miranda liked her; at least that's what she could tell from how they'd spent the day together. But was she here only to babysit? Probably not, she had, after all volunteered herself to take care of the two girls that morning, and Rachael had said she had a position ready for her at the ranger museum when it was ready, but for now, she was needed here.

Upstairs a figure stood carefully in the corner watching his son through the open door. Wes felt tired, but he couldn't help but watch Chris play quietly with his power ranger action figures. He loved to play with the red one, always coming up with scenarios where the pink ranger needed to be saved and the other rangers looked up to him for guidance. It was far from the reality that they'd lived as the Time Force rangers, Jen practically saved him more often than the other way around.

"Dad?"

Wes looked at his son's face as he strained to see him in the dark of the hallway. Taking a deep breath he stepped forward and sat on the floor with him, picking up the pink action figure. "Hey buddy." Chris looked up at him, the pretty violet eyes showing curiosity.

"I miss you Dad." The young boy said seriously, too seriously for a five year old. "Don't leave like Mom did."

"I'm sorry." Wes' heart nearly broke as he watched Chris and pulled the boy into his arms. "I'm not going anywhere." He held onto the boy who started crying softly into his shirt.

"I love you Dad." He mumbled through his tears.

"I love you too Sky." Wes replied, using the nickname that always earned him a glare from Courtney, but a grin from their son. It was a very sad wake-up call, one almost three months in the making, his son needed him, and that meant his younger daughters definitely did as well. He pulled his son back wiped the tears from the boy's face. "Your mom loves you too; she's in heaven watching us right now."

"Why isn't she here?" The five year old sniffled.

"I don't know why." Wes admitted. "I wish I had an answer for you, but I just don't know. I told you that is was Mommy's body gave out, but she'll always be with us."

"I know." Sky wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "I just miss her."

"I miss her too." Wes hugged him tightly. "You'll always miss her, and that's ok." He started believing the words as he said them, realizing what he had to do to get some semblance of normalcy for his children. "Why don't you get ready for dinner? Uncle Eric and Aunt Rachael are downstairs with Jen." Sky nodded and ran for the bathroom to wash his hands. Wes went into his room and quickly changed from his sweats into jeans and a nicer t-shirt, running a comb through his knotted hair.

"Ready!" Sky announced from the doorway and Wes laughed at the speediness of the boy.

"Alright, let's go downstairs." Wes took Sky's hand and they went downstairs together, as soon as they got into the kitchen, he ran to his sister and cousin to help put the pepperoni's on the pizza. The three adults in the room had all frozen at the sight of him and he felt a twinge of pain. He'd must have been pretty bad lately for them all to be so surprised to see him. Without a word Wes went to his sister and placed an arm around her shoulders.

"So what's for dinner?" He asked conversationally, trying to be normal. Rachael's face transformed into a happy smile as she replied.

"Pizza."

"Did you get pineapple for them?"

"Ew, no, no one likes that but you." Rachael wrinkled her nose as Wes chuckled. "Besides, we don't get the toppings we like when they're making it." She pointed to where Lauren and Chris were meticulously placing the circular pieces of meat on the larger round piece of dough, and Miranda was flinging cheese in random places.

"Oh the sacrifices." Wes mumbled and grinned down at Rachael whose face hadn't really left a concerned look. "I'm ok sis." He hugged her with the one arm and her arms wrapped around him.

"Thank God." She smiled into his chest. Eric half smiled at the siblings before helping Miranda with the cheese gently, showing her that it was better to spread it evenly. Jen just watched them, the family moments that she didn't feel a part of. Rachael pulled back from Wes as Ashlynn started making noises where she lay in the little bassinet.

"I've got her." Wes said, stopping his sister to pick up his youngest daughter. Unreliable old Wes was gone a long time ago Jen surmised as he gently held his baby daughter, making silly faces as her big eyes watched him. He moved slightly and Jen was soon in the baby's line of sight and the little girl's arms instantly reached out for her. Wes looked between Jen and his daughter, a grin growing on his face as the baby squirmed in his arms. "I think she wants you to hold her."

Jen stared at the baby who was getting antsy as Wes held her out for Jen to take. Once Ashlynn was in her arms she wiggled a little and looked up at Jen happily, yawning widely as her purple eyes closed. It was a weird feeling for Jen, knowing that the little girl wanted her, after only knowing her for about a month and a half, but to be fair that was half the amount of time she'd been alive.

"She's pretty attached to Jen." Rachael commented as she put the pizzas into the hot oven.

"I like Jen." Miranda piped up, hugging her teddy close.

"Me too." Sky commented, jumping down from the table. "She makes good pancakes."

"I wanna try!" Lauren yelled.

"Too bad they're gone!" Sky teased his cousin, sticking out his tongue. You could almost see the steam coming out of her ears; even Sky caught on and hightailed it out of the room as Lauren tore after him, much to the amusement of the adults.

"Don't go too far!" Rachael yelled after them, trying not to let them know she was laughing so hard. Miranda shook her head and plopped down onto the floor with her teddy and dolls and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like 'they're dumb'. The adults couldn't contain their laughter, and as the old saying goes, laughter is the best medicine, and color started to return to Wes' face.

**Myers Home That Night**

"That was successful." Eric said as he tackled Rachael onto their bed. She laughed under the weight of his body on top of her. He kissed her gently and she kissed him back, no hungry need this night, just pure love and comfort.

"I love you." She murmured, leaning back in the pillows looking up at him.

"I love you too." Eric leaned in and kissed her again, resting his head on one elbow, the other wrapping across her stomach. Rachael looked down at his arm and laid her one arm over his, her other arm holding his hand. "What are you thinking?" He asked her and her brilliant green eyes flickered upward to his face.

"I had my physical today." She murmured, playing with his fingers absently.

"Oh? Are you in ranger condition again?" Eric teased and she wrinkled her nose back at him, squirming when he kissed her nose.

"Actually no." She answered and his eyebrows rose.

"What then?"

"I'm pregnant again."

"Really?" Eric's face lit up immediately as his wife nodded. "That's wonderful." He leaned in and kissed her again, his hand moving to rest on her stomach.

"I'm scared." She whispered in his ear. "It's just a little soon after Courtney…" Her voice trailed off and he pulled her into his arms and held her.

"You're not Courtney, you'll be fine." Eric insisted, "You're strong, she had a weak heart, and we didn't know that until it was too late."

"I know it's silly." Rachael murmured and placed her hands over his. "You want a boy?" She grinned. "I know you love living with two women. Just imagine when she's a teenager, that'll be fun." She couldn't not laugh at the look of horror on his face.

"She's five, let her be five." He pinned her arms down and kissed her again, trying to stop her laughing. Rachael wrestled away from him and pinned him down, starting a wrestling match that ended in their falling asleep in each other's arms


	18. Getting Better

**Mansion**

A loud clash of thunder woke her from whatever sleep she'd been managing to get since she'd gone to sleep only a few hours before. Annoyed at being woken up again after just barely managing to fall asleep, Jen checked the digital clock on the bedside table. It was blinking 1:23 but she knew it was different than that, Wes had once explained how clocks would rest to midnight once they got power back after an outage, and then blink while continuing to run until they were reset. Knowing she had a long day the next morning, she tried to roll over and sleep more, but a second clash and a high pitched scream sent her out of her bed and down the hallway, but someone beat her to the punch.

"Shhh baby." Wes pulled a sobbing Miranda into his arms. Jen stood at the doorway and silently watched him comfort her. It had been a long six months since she'd arrived, and Wes had gone from never leaving his room to having an active role in his kid's lives again. Chris was out of school for summer and was playing local hockey every single day, and Jen was the one who drove him there, but Wes made all the games, holding Miranda and patiently explaining what was happening to her. Jen listened as well and learned how to play the entire sport by the third match.

"Jen." Miranda reached up for her. "I want both of you." Her eyes were watery and sad, so the former tough pink ranger didn't have much of a choice but to oblige and slid to the other side of her bed, placing an arm around the little girl. Wes didn't acknowledge anything until they'd gotten the small girl back to sleep and closed the door behind them.

"Jen, you've been a big help with them, but…"

"No." Jen stopped him short, knowing what he was going to say. "I'm not here to replace Courtney, not in any way." She touched his arm and smiled gently before leaving and returning to her room.

"Thank you." She heard him say softly behind her. She smiled, but didn't stop until she was curled up into her bed again. By the time morning came, she was lured downstairs by the tantalizing scent of cinnamon wafting to her room and found Rachael frosting them carefully.

"Morning." Jen smiled at Rachael. It was hard to not smile when you saw her these days. When Jen had first returned to their time she was thin and stressed out, but now she was very healthy at five months pregnant, joy radiating off of her. It was different to see her and Eric have calm discussions with one another, and even the small affectionate looks and touches they shared. Eric was the definition of a caring husband, always making sure Rachael was comfortable, even when she was mad at him, he would just laugh behind her back, but let her be angry at him.

"Hey." Rachael greeted happily. "Chris loves these, and I had a really bad craving, so I figured if I left them here I'd only be tempted to have one." She giggled at herself and Jen couldn't help but laugh with her. "Eric's sister says since I'm craving sweets it'll be another girl." She frowned at the thought. "But with Lauren I always wanted rare meat, and craving protein is supposed to mean a boy." Jen laughed at how awake she was.

"You're alert today."

"I'd ought to be." Rachael smiled. "I meant to take a nap before Eric got home, but I didn't wake up until about four am, and I've been up since then cleaning like crazy."

"Pregnancy makes you nuts." Jen shook her head at Rachael who smiled almost serenely.

"I love it." She shrugged, stopping for a moment to rest her left hand over her slightly swollen belly. "Just knowing that there's a child in there is one of the best feelings I've ever experienced."

"Aunt Rachael!" Miranda ran into the room and reached her hands up to Rachael's stomach. "Hi Baby." She patted it nicely.

"The baby says hi to you too." Rachael grinned and placed a gob of icing on the little girl's nose, making her giggle as she climbed up next to Jen. "My other reason for being here is to ask you if you'd do me a huge favor." Rachael served two of the warm cinnamon buns on two plates for Jen and Miranda. Jen didn't look at hers but kept a suspicious gaze on Rachael. "Oh relax; I just need you to fill in for me at work while I'm on maternity leave."

"How long?" Jen asked, relaxing, this was something she could do easily. Rachael had been working as the director of the ranger museum that Alan Collins had put in the newly rebuilt clocktower. It had been weird to go back there for the first time since the rebuild, but it looked the same, as if nothing had ever happened to it. The ranger museum started at the bottom and worked its way around, making room for the teams that had shown up after Time Force had left as well. But on the ground floor at the same desk Rachael had also restarted "Nick of Time Odd Jobs", giving jobs to high school and college students during breaks and around their classes. She was almost like superwoman, raising a family, working and helping her brother at the same time.

"Hopefully around six weeks." Rachael shrugged. "I don't know, it might be more or less depending on how badly this kid tears me up or how restless I get." Jen laughed and nodded.

"Sure, I'll do anything you need me to."

"Is it a boy?" Miranda asked suddenly, sticky icing covering her face and hands. "Or a girl?"

"Hopefully a boy." Chris said from the door as he came in and grabbed a cinnamon bun from his Aunt. "We don't need any more girls around here." He almost growled out the words as the two women stifled their laughs.

"Couldn't agree more." Wes grinned as he came into the room with Ashlynn in his arms. "Besides, I don't think Eric would like to live with three women."

"He's dealing with two." Rachael wrinkled her nose at her brother who just gave it back and shifted his baby to press his hand against his sister's belly.

"Feels like a boy." He said officially and his son cheered while his daughter shrugged and kicked her feet out, swinging them as they dangled off the high chair she was sitting in. "Where's your daughter?" He asked, rocking Ashlynn carefully, redirecting his attention.

"She dragged Eric skating this morning."

"Again?" Jen asked with surprised. "She just started a few months ago and she hasn't stopped since."

"Nope, she's convinced she's going to be a champion figure skater." Rachael smiled while shaking her head. "Ten years ago I would have told my daughter that was a crazy goal, but now, with what we've done, it doesn't sound so crazy."


	19. What is Going On? Part 1

**Two Years Later**

Rachael Myers stood on the front step of the small house she and Eric had lived in for nearly eight years and watched her two children play quietly in the yard, Lauren taking every preventable measure to make sure her baby brother didn't get hurt as he tried to run through the grass. Rachael's body tensed when the one and a half year old stumbled and fell, tears welling up in his eyes, but Lauren was at his side in an instant, pressing her small hands over where it hurt and singing him the nursery rhyme that their mother sang to them before bed. In a few seconds he was up and running again, as if he'd never fallen at all. Rachael shook her head, how Lauren managed to dry his tears that fast always baffled her, but she managed it time and time again.

Finally one of the few black SUVs pulled into her driveway and she smiled brightly, waving at the driver who grinned back as two kids tore out of the back seat and ran to their cousin to play. Jen got Ashlynn out of the car and watched her run out to play with the older kids as Rachael came up next to her, leaning on the vehicle.

"How did it go?" She asked with a sly smile.

"Really well." Jen smiled brightly. The two years she'd been living in their time was doing wonders for her. Her skin was clear and soft looking; eyes bright and her hair had grown longer, almost challenging Rachael's in length by now. "They're all for it." She smiled and glanced down at her left hand.

"Congratulations." Rachael hugged her tightly before taking Jen's left hand in hers. "I must say, my brother has very good taste in jewelry." She grinned at Jen who blushed.

"I almost feel guilty for being so happy to be engaged to him." She admitted, hugging her arms around her. Rachael frowned briefly and motioned for Jen to follow her into the house. Inside Jen kept her eye out on the window while Rachael poured two tall glasses of sweetened iced tea.

"You shouldn't feel bad about being happy." She finally said. "I don't know how she knew, but I know Courtney knew about you and the feelings between you and Wes." She sat on the front porch, Jen sitting quietly next to her. "But she also knew that Wes did love her, and was married to her, you were a thousand years away, there was no competition."

"She knew we were from the future?" Jen asked with surprise.

"Wes let it slip once, but I'm entirely sure she was much more relaxed about you after that. Because she knew you had no say in what was going to happen with his life. As far as she was concerned, he was hers, and you were just a dream for him." Rachael sipped the tea thoughtfully. "She was a very calm influence for him, but I'm sure she'd want him to be happy."

"He wanted to respect her." Jen commented. "Which is why he waited almost two years to even think about having a relationship with me, and I respect that."

"Contrary to popular opinion Wes is a pretty sensitive guy, but don't tell him I said that." Rachael laughed, her eyes glued to the playing children, Lauren was currently chasing Chris, aiming to hit him for something he'd done to her. "But I know they love you." She gestured to the kids.

Jen smiled happily. "I know, I feel like they're mine, Ashlynn calls me 'Mama'." Rachael smiled softly.

"The other two will come around, especially Miranda, she doesn't remember her mom as much, but Chris will be harder. I guess boys are much more attached to their moms than girls when they're younger." Rachael reasoned as she opened her arms to her son toddling toward her, a small flower grasped in his little fist. He pressed it into her hand and she thanked him, kissing him on the forehead before he turned to play with his sister again.

"Jake looks just like Eric." Jen smiled watching the little boy leave. "Then again, you both have dark features, it could be you." She laughed and Rachael joined in nodding.

"Always a possibility, but I'd like to think he looks like Eric." She smiled at her son before looking back to Jen. "By the way, he's been rooting for you two since you got here."

"Really?" Jen asked with slight surprise, but she was getting used to the more mellow Eric that Rachael had seemed to create. She'd gotten to know him a lot better in the past two years, and watching him with his kids and their cousins made her rethink her previous opinion of him. Even after seeing him and Rachael argue, they were still a good couple, very loving at times, although they still butted heads. "Are you sure he didn't just want to get you back? I seem to remember somebody being conceived shortly after I got here." She looked at Rachael who blushed.

"Ok maybe that's more of the reason, but still, we're happy for you." She knocked her shoulders into Jen's who laughed, her head ducking down and then out at the kids, standing up instantly.

"Where are Chris and Lauren?" Rachael stood up and looked for her little raven haired daughter but didn't see her anywhere.

"Lauren!" She called out but silence met her yell. Only slightly worried at this point, Rachael walked around the back of the house while Jen went to the two year olds and now six year old Miranda, none of whom knew where the other two were. Rachael kept yelling until she heard Lauren call back, and then broke into a run to where they were. "Lauren!" She yelled into the small forest behind the house. It wasn't a big forest by far, probably only a mile through it you got to the highway, but that was just more of a reason to keep her daughter away from it.

"Mom!" She shouted back and Rachael got to them, seeing the two kids huddled at the bottom of a pretty large rock. Chris' face was stained with tears and he was holding himself away from his leg. Horror struck the core of her body as she saw the white bone sticking out of his skin and she knelt next to him.

"I fell off the rock." He managed to say and Lauren touched his arm.

"Lauren go tell Jen to call your Dad." Rachael instructed immediately. "Run." Lauren nodded and sprinted out of the woods and up to the house. "Ok, just relax." She said soothingly and pressed her finger to the skin surrounding the bone. Chris yelled in pain and Rachael flew backwards from an unknown force and hit a nearby tree hard, her back and head getting most of the blow.

The next thing she was aware of was Eric touching her face and earnestly asking her to wake up. Her eyes fluttered open and she saw several paramedics helping Chris into an ambulance, fear radiating through him as he looked directly at her. Rachael felt the back of her head and brought her hand to her face, relieved there was no blood there.

"It looks like you just have a concussion." Eric cupped her chin and she looked into his eyes and winced.

"How is Chris?" She asked, her voice coming out much weaker than she expected.

"He's really freaked out and won't tell us what happened." Eric helped her to her feet and led her to another ambulance where a paramedic checked her eyes and reflexes. He released her to Eric after a few minutes, with the caution to keep her relaxed but she wasn't allowed to fall asleep. Instead of going inside, Eric took Miranda, Ashlynn, Lauren and Jake over to their neighbor where the now teenaged Alice gladly brought them home to babysit them while their parents went to the hospital. Enroute, Eric tried to get some answers again, utterly confused as to what happened. "Rachael, what happened in there?"

It took a minute before she answered. "I don't know." She whispered. "I remember touching his leg, and then I was airborne and struck the tree. Next thing I remember is you waking me up." Eric was silent. What do you say in a time like this where you have no idea why your nephew did something that hurt your wife and the kid was scared to death to tell anyone. In the waiting room of the emergency room the four adults sat together, Rachael keeping herself upright as best she could, but gave in and leaned against Eric's shoulder. He would try to wake her up every few minutes and eventually went to get coffee for her, Wes taking the seat next to his sister.

"Rachael, I…"

"It's not your fault Wes." She interrupted him, shaking her head. "He did something he couldn't control, but I didn't see what it was." She frowned. "Only he can tell us." Wes nodded and hugged her carefully, backing away so she could accept the coffee from her husband. After about an hour they were allowed over to Chris' bed post surgery for his broken leg. The boy looked exhausted, even his clear purple eyes looked dull and tired, but they lit with fear when his family came in.

"Hey buddy." Wes went over to him and sat next to him. Chris didn't look at him, his eyes were glued to his Aunt Rachael who smiled and sat on the other side.

"I know you didn't mean to hurt me." She took his hand in hers. "It was an accident, and accidents happen." He nodded, but tears were falling down his face, but he wiped them away before they got anywhere.

"It hurt when you touched it." He sniffed. "And I wanted you to stop, then this thing came up between me and it hit you. I didn't mean to, honest." He insisted.

"We believe you." Wes grinned and touched his son's head. "What did the thing look like?" He pressed.

"It was blue and bright." Chris' eyebrows knit together. "It came from me." He whispered, fear radiating through him. "It took a while before it went away." He rubbed his eyes with the hand without the IV drip and Eric touched Rachael's back.

"Fell better little man." He held out his fist to the boy who grinned and bumped it with his own.

"Thanks Uncle Eric." Chris smiled and looked at Jen who came over and hugged him tightly. "Bye Jen." He grinned and looked at her hand where the engagement ring sat. Wes' heart swelled happily at the look. His son was thrilled that he was getting a Step-Mom, he was a few years older and understood death a little better, and Jen had been around for years. Eric, Jen, and Rachael left the hospital for their house to get the kids some dinner and to bed, as it was getting late.

The next morning Rachael brought Lauren and Jake to the mansion to see Chris and give him the treats they'd gotten. Wes now owned the mansion, given to him when their father decided to move permanently to the East Coast, somewhere in Boston for his business. So now Wes, and soon Jen, owned the house and lived there with the three children and Rachael was there frequently with the kids for play dates and Eric joined for dinner at least once a week.

Lauren ran up to his bedroom with the candies and plastic power ranger figures, from the newest team, Jungle Fury in Ocean Bluff. "Hey." She greeted and happily threw the stuff on the bed.

"Hey." Chris mumbled, trying not to look at her.

"Are you sad you hit my mom?" Lauren asked bluntly.

"It was an accident!" Chris insisted. "I didn't mean too I couldn't control it!"

"I know." She shrugged and Chris stared until she explained. "I can do something weird too." She whispered and placed her hands over the cast on her cousin's foot. A soft gently white aura seemed to radiate around her hands, as she had her eyes closed, completely focused on what she was doing. After at least a minute she stopped and the light went away.

"What did you do?" Chris started at her.

"I healed your leg." Lauren whispered back, her eyes darting toward the door to where her mother would soon come in.

"How?" Chris whispered back, moving his leg in the cast in surprise. "It doesn't hurt anymore."

"I don't know, I figured out I could do it when Jake fell once." Lauren confided in her cousin. "His knee was all scraped up, but I put my hands on it and the scrapes were gone. I washed the blood off and never told my mom." Chris looked fascinated and less concerned, but the two women standing just outside the door were looking at one another with stunned looks on their faces. Jen made to enter the room, but Rachael stopped as Lauren continued. "And last night, when Mom hugged me good night I tried to heal her concussion and I think I did."

"Whoa." Chris said in awe of his cousin before admitting something else to his cousin. "I've done it before I think." He frowned, "I was scared, and it was just there, and then it was gone again."

"What do you think it is?" Lauren whispered, curious awe more present in her voice than fear.

"I don't know." Chris shrugged his shoulders. "But I really want this cast off." He scratched his leg and moved his foot inside the cast.

"Then we'll take it off." Rachael finally spoke, surprising the two eight year olds. She and Jen came into the room and she pulled her daughter into her arms. "You should have told me something was happening." She hugged her and Lauren embraced her back.

"I was scared." The little girl mumbled and Chris nodded fervently as Jen sat next to him. "I just wanted to help."

"Thank you, baby." Rachael kissed her forehead and then looked at her. "How do you do it?" Lauren shrugged.

"I don't know, I just concentrate on making it go back to normal and it just does." She shrugged. "Healing scratches and stuff is easier, but if I focus I can do other stuff." Rachael and Jen exchanged glances and then looked back to the kids. "Are we weird?"

"No." Rachael hugged Lauren tightly, laughing. "You're just a little different, and there's nothing wrong with that."

**Evening**

"She _healed_ his leg?" Eric's voice was completely shocked as he repeated what his wife had just told him. "With her bare hands." Rachael nodded, touching his arm to make him keep his voice down. "How can she possibly do that?"

"I don't know." Rachael shook her head. "But I've been thinking a lot about it and I have a theory."

"I'd love to hear it." Eric sat back in his chair in disbelief, staring at the cup of coffee he'd barely touched since Rachael had poured it. Before they'd gotten married he'd have a beer or two after work, but with a little kid in the house, coffee was a little more practical, and he didn't honestly miss it.

"SPD." She said simply. "That thing that hit us while we were there, it only makes sense, it did something to me or you or both of us that gave our child this, this... power." She said the word carefully, unsure of what to call the strange phenomenon.

"Another reason to not trust them." Eric frowned, shaking his head as he leaned forward onto the small kitchen table. After a few moments of silence passed before he spoke again. "Do you think the other kids are affected to?"

"Probably." Rachael shrugged. "Leo and Karone have kids now, Andros and Ashley have three, I don't know about Danny or Tanya." She frowned.

"Me either." Eric leaned back. "I could ask Wes to get in contact with them."

"Can't you call Taylor about Danny?"

Her simple question nearly knocked Eric off his seat. Rachael, his wife, was asking him to call Taylor, a girl he'd dated before they'd gotten married years ago. He gaped for a moment, unable to form a sentence that was intelligent enough to explain why he definitely did not want to call Taylor. By the time he'd formed a half sentence, Rachael was standing and grabbing his hand, bringing him to his feet so she could hug him properly standing up.

"I love you so much." She whispered in his ear, laughing lightly. "That was a pretty good reaction for the ex thing."

"Rachael, I went out with her twice and that was that." He shook his head. "I'm entirely sure I don't even have her number anymore."

"Better answer." Rachael grinned and pulled on the collar of his shirt so he'd lean over and kiss her. "But it does interfere with this, we need to ask them."

"Can't you call Bronwyn?" Eric asked with exasperation and Rachael's face flew into excited realization as she pulled herself from him and ran into their bedroom. He looked curiously after her, but she returned in a few minutes with a small black object in her hands. It looked like a cell phone, but way more high tech than anything he'd ever seen before. It had several buttons on it that she started pressing in rapid succession. "Rachael?" He finally asked.

"I can go see Bronwyn." She looked up at him with a smile. "I'm allowed to go to Millennium City for emergencies and I think this counts." Eric nodded and relaxed as she finished typing on the small device. "I'll be back as soon as I can, if Jake wakes up give him the blue blanket and he'll be fine."

"I know, they're my kids too remember?" He teased her and she kissed him again.

"Bye." She disappeared out the door and seconds later a blue light shone into the house but vanished a few seconds later.


	20. What is Going On? Part 2

In seconds she was racing the halls of time force, feeling like a twenty year old again as she sought out the familiar office where she and Bronwyn had worked when they weren't training. The paperwork involved in the training for Time Force had been annoyingly hard, and then the research needed to bring Jen back to her time was hard and took many long hours, and in the end it was that strange girl that had finally brought the hammer down in their favor.

"I'll be home in about an hour."

Rachael grinned brightly as she heard her best friend's voice on the phone and snuck up behind the blonde, leaning against the doorframe as she spoke.

"I know sweetheart, but Mommy has a few more things to do and I'll come home and I'll be yours all weekend, ok? Alright baby, I love you too. Bye." She hung up the phone with a smile on her face and looked back at the papers in front of her.

"You won't finish." Rachael finally spoke and Bronwyn whirled around, vaulting out of her chair to embrace her best friend. "I missed you!" The held onto one another for a while, it had been too long, which was what was exactly on Bronwyn's mind.

"God I haven't seen you since you stole my sister!" Bronwyn hugged her again and the two sat down, Rachael dragging over a chair from another of the desks in the office.

"I know." Rachael smiled. "And I guess there's someone you didn't tell me about." She looked at the phone and back to her friend who smiled broadly.

"I didn't realize I was pregnant then." She shook her head, still smiling. "Lucas went over the moon when he found out, he loves being a father. He's at home with Ava right now."

"Ava? That's a sweet name." Rachael grinned. "So she's about two, right?"

"Yeah." Bronwyn smiled again, leaning back in her seat. "When are you having another?"

"Jake is a year and a half old thank you." Rachael grinned as her friend smiled. "Lauren loves to take care of him." Her face sobered. "Which is why I'm here."

"She's exhibiting signs of having a strange power?" Bronwyn seemed to wince at the words she was saying. Rachael sighed and leaned back, shaking her head at her friend who took that as an invitation to continue. She turned to her computer and brought up images and diagrams of cells and molecular structures. "There are many legends and stories about the powers that your children have because of that accident at SPD."

"Legends?"

"A thousand year difference Rach, your whole life is a legend to us." Bronwyn rolled her eyes and winced. "Except the powers are expected to make a fantastic comeback."

"Because you were there." Rachael nodded in understanding. "Ava has inherited whatever this is."

"Well, when you joined Time Force they took blood samples from you, and here is your DNA before the accident." She pointed to the left of the screen at a double helix that was spinning slowly color coded per each of the different alleles. "Now here," Bronwyn paused for a second before she pulled up a second double helix, this one with clear differences in the colors, they were brighter and one of the four colors seemed to have doubled in places, "Is your DNA now."

Rachael stared. "Are you kidding me? It changed my DNA?"

"Parts of it, Adriana Carson was working on the possibility of giving potential rangers powers to enhance their abilities to battle effectively. And well, you were there, the fumes reacted badly together causing a wave that permanently altered our DNA. However, we have already matured and reached adulthood, so the changes didn't affect us."

"But when I got pregnant, and Lauren was forming inside me from my DNA, the changes made her develop the powers that she has." Rachael made the assumption easily.

"Pretty much, except from what we've been able to tell from all of the children born with these powers is that the first born got a sort of power transfer from the ranger parent, giving them a very strong personal power base." Bronwyn tried to explain. "See, we all have power levels, even normal citizens." She pulled up a massive list onto the computer screen, green bars stretching out horizontally from them, but before Rachael could read the names Bronwyn had scrolled to the bottom. "We've developed a system for rating and classifying the personal power level of an individual, and if I might add it's a fail proof process."

"How does it work?" Rachael asked, intensely curious to what was going on.

"Well, we pretty much analyze the DNA and measure the amount of hemoglobin on the red blood cells, not entirely sure how that works, but it has something to do with it." Bronwyn shrugged. "Anyway, the average human being reads between a 0 and 50." She pointed to a few people who'd been input in the bottom of the list. Rachael's eye caught a familiar name with a number over 50.

"Courtney?" She looked at Bronwyn with a stunned look, frowning when the girl winced.

"Courtney falls under the second category of humans with supplemental abilities, which usually reads anywhere from a 51 to 150 on our scale."

"Usually?" Rachael asked.

"There are exceptions, but as far as the scale goes, the next level is rangers which can go from anywhere between 151 to 300."

"Doesn't seem too consistent as far as the scale."

"Some rangers are just that much more powerful than others." Bronwyn looked to her friend. "For example you and I were stronger than the rest of our team, but Eric beat both of us by a mile."

"Really?" Rachael was impressed; she knew the Quantum ranger was powerful, but not this powerful. Bronwyn nodded and continued explaining.

"Then 300 and over is pretty rare, but the highest number measured is a 946."

"Whoa, who got that?" Rachael's eyes widened in awe.

"Classified." Bronwyn pointed to the top of the list at the extremely long line. "Even I don't know, heck we can't even know two, which is just a complete anomaly."

"How so?"

"Well, the second place has two people who are tied with the exact same power level." Bronwyn leaned back. "Power signatures are supposed to be like fingerprints, no two are alike, but this blew that completely out of the water."

"Are they identical twins or something?" Rachael asked.

"Nope, one male, one female, two totally different families, not related in the least."

"It doesn't sound so fail proof to me." Rachael frowned and Bronwyn shrugged looking over the list of names they could see.

"It works for what we needed it to, I guess." Bronwyn shrugged. "Anyway, the exceptions to this rule are your kids and the children of all those who were there that day and had their DNA altered. Before getting any type of ranger powers their personal power levels exceeded some rangers."

"How is that possible?" Rachael's eyes were wide with curious fear.

"When each of us are rangers, a part of the power stays with us long after we stop morphing." Bronwyn tried to explain. "The power never leaves most of us, but with the DNA alterations our power was cleanly channeled into our children."

"So you're telling me that Lauren inherited mine and Eric's remnant ranger powers?" Rachael asked in surprise. "And that somehow causes her to be able to heal things with her hands."

"Even a thousand years later we still have absolutely no idea how their powers became individualized into what they display." Bronwyn shook her head. "There's no rhyme or reason, even generations later powers appear and don't get passed on at all."

"That doesn't make sense." Rachael shook her head and rested it into her hands.

"No it doesn't." Bronwyn agreed. "But I can help you with what you need to do now." She reached around her computer monitor and grabbed a piece of paper from the printer and started writing down names and numbers. "Get in contact with the parents of the other kids and make sure you all return to SPD at least once to figure out how to be parents to these extraordinary children." Rachael nodded and hugged her friend one more time before saying her good-byes and sending well wishes to their other friends. She kept the biggest secret about Wes and Jen's pending wedding hidden for now, it wasn't her secret to tell, Jen and Bronwyn needed some way of behaving like sisters. As Rachael checked the time on her traveler as she programmed it to send her back to her own time she winced. It had been over an hour, and it was almost eleven o'clock at night when she'd left. Now past midnight, she snuck back into her now dark house quietly and made her way to the bedroom where she changed quickly and climbed between the sheets next to her husband who welcomed her back with a kiss.

"What'd you learn?" He asked, half asleep as he spoke.

"Way more than I could absorb." Rachael murmured in response, holding him close to her. "I'll explain in the morning, but everything's going to be fine."

**Epilogue**

Life rarely ends out the way you plan it to go. You take the good and work with the bad, and sometimes the bad turn out to be blessings in disguise. A person is only as good as the upbringing the start out with, no matter if it was a bad one that they never strayed from, or the person who rises above their poor beginnings. And then there are those who start out in a good light and finish their life in the same manner, upholding the ideals they were taught as a child, turning out as a model member of society, making their parents believe it all the stress was worth it.

"Mom, I'm leaving!" A female voice called through the house. The spitting image of her mother, Lauren Myers was hanging through the front door, calling inside to where her mother was standing. Rachael smiled and came to the door to wave her good bye.

"If you're going to be late, call." She'd repeated the warning a thousand times, and every time her beautiful daughter rolled her brilliant green eyes at her before nodding and running out of the house to the small red truck sitting in the driveway. The driver of the truck waved politely and smiled at Rachael who waved back at the young girl, her daughter's best friend who reminded her of Bronwyn more than she wanted to admit. But the girl looked familiar from the moment she met her, although to this day she couldn't place her even though she and Lauren had been friends for well over three years.

"She leave already?" Eric asked as Rachael reentered the house, rolling his eyes at the laugh he got in response. Even after the sixteen years of marriage he'd never lost his general physique although Rachael had experienced a few changes, but to him she was still the beautiful young girl he'd married.

"She doesn't like to sit still often." Rachael shrugged and slipped into her husband's arms. "Especially when she's stressed."

"Healing your cousin from leukemia will do that to you." Eric murmured, holding Rachael close. Miranda had been battling the blood disease for years before Lauren asked to try and heal her. The adults had been wary to accept her help, and rightfully so, as the increased focus and concentration had made Lauren lose consciousness after she'd finished, but once she woke up, both girls seemed fine.

"We have an amazing daughter." Rachael looked up at Eric and smiled brightly. Eric leaned in to kiss his wife gently.

"And our son is just as fun." They laughed at the thought of Jake who was probably sitting his room playing his video games until he was too hungry to continue. Rachael nestled into his arms as they stood in their small living room. This was life, and it was good.

(Yay!!! This is only the second one I've ever finished, but hey, I go there didn't I?" This hopefully set things up nicely for my next fiction that is a complete mystery!! Muahahaha!! I mean... you'll have to wait a while for it, but for now, things are peaceful in Silver Hills!)


	21. Epilogue

(Ok, I couldn't leave well enough alone with Rachael and Eric. All references to characters you don't already know are characters in a new fic I have in the works.)

The day started alright, but by the time she'd returned home to make a little dinner for two, the cramps were getting to be too much. Swearing her gender, Rachael Myers went to the small medicine cabinet and popped a few pain killers into her mouth and rubbed her belly to sooth the aching pains that were shooting through it. Mood unaffected, she continued to sing as she pulled a meal together with the meager contents of their refrigerator. Neither she or Eric were the shopping type, and since Lauren no longer lived at home, they rarely had a lot of food. Which was annoying since she liked to cook. By the time she had a pan of simmering chicken on the stove, the front door opened and closed behind her.

"That smells heavenly." Eric greeted his wife with a kiss to the cheek and inhaling the food she was preparing. Rachael leaned her head back to rest on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her thin waist. Nuzzling his nose into her ear, Eric murmured words inappropriate for most audiences.

Giggling, Rachael pulled away. "Another night sweetheart." She wrinkled her nose before kissing him gently. "Not the right time of the month."

"Damn." Eric swore and kissed her deeply before pulling away. "Jake finally goes back to school and this happens." He teased, referring to their son who'd just moved back to his boarding high school the week before, leaving them with the proverbial "empty nest", something they were both enjoying immensely.

"You'll survive." Rachael swatted him with a dishtowel as he tried to escape toward the bathroom. When he emerged with wet hair a few minutes later, Rachael had their dinner on the table. It only took them a few minutes to eat before they spent a mundane evening watching a football game on television before going to bed early.

Rachael woke up the next morning to a kiss being placed on her forehead. A smile lit her face when she saw Eric hovering over her with a smile. A second later a sharp pain caused her to frown and roll over, a small moan escaping her. "Shh." Eric whispered soothingly as he sat on the bed to rub her back. "You need something?"

"Ibuprofen and coffee." Rachael muttered darkly into her soft white pillow as she blindly grabbed for Eric's, and hugging it to her stomach. "Lots of both." Eric obliged quickly, hating to see her in pain, even if it did happen once a month. "Thank you." She sat up to sip the coffee and down three of the pills at once.

"You sure you need that many?" Eric frowned.

"Yep." Rachael winced as she spoke without ceremony. "Trust me; I've been doing this for thirty years."

"I trust you." Eric placed another kiss on her forehead. "Want me to call Jen?"

"Please." Rachael shook her head. "Tell her to call in one of the girls." She referred to the employees she and Jen managed at the new and slightly altered version of 'Nick of Time: Odd Jobs' where the two worked together.

"Alright, get some sleep." Eric kissed her one last time before leaving the house with a frown plastered on his face. Something Wes noticed the moment his brother-in-law came into the office they shared.

"Wow, what happened to you?" He grinned, which only made Eric frown more.

"Rachael's sick." Eric practically sneered at his wife's brother, and the man who'd become his friend over the past twenty years they'd worked together. "Worse than the usual monthly thing if you know what I mean." He explained with a frown as he sat in his chair.

"Ouch." Wes sat forward, concern marring the face that was happy the moment before. He and Rachael had been raised like twins; exactly a year apart, they were as close as any two siblings could be. "She going to be ok?"

"She says so." Eric shrugged and turned on the computer his son had explained in detail how to use.

Back at their house, Rachael crawled out of bed to the bathroom, mystified by the lack of blood that usually came with the horrible pains she was feeling. Using the bathroom was impossible, so she went out into the kitchen and lay down on the cold tile flooring, relishing how it felt against her heated skin. She dozed off for a few minutes, but the sharp pains came right back with a vengeance, twice as strong as before. Rachael let out a hiss of air, panic filling her mind. It had been an hour since Eric had gone to work, leaving her alone in the house, and the pain medicine hadn't kicked in at all. She'd been in pain before, two stints in the hospital before having her children, and then the two stays giving birth to Lauren and Jacob were all the worst pain in her life. Except this, this was more than she could handle.

"Eric." She murmured softly, trying to get to the phone that sat on the counter, but it was just out of her reach. Unable to stand, she curled into a ball on the floor, praying he'd call and get worried when she didn't answer. The phone sat silently on the counter for what seemed like hours on end. The pain came in waves, coming sooner and sooner together, her mind working with the pain instinctively. It was almost as if she was in labor. No. Her mind was suddenly alert with the horrifying thought. Sure her other two pregnancies had ended with less pain, but she'd been given high doses of medicine to help alleviate it. Judging by the smallness of her waist…

No. Terror filled her. She was miscarrying on her kitchen floor with no one there to help her. Wes' first wife Courtney had died in a room filled with doctors and nurses while giving birth, the chances she was going to survive this, wasn't good. Rachael tried once more to move for the phone on the counter, but instead of grabbing for it, she fell, landing on her hip in more pain than before. A pile of plates fell off the counter and shattered on the floor, a horrific sound she could barely comprehend.

"Mom?" The curious voice of her twenty-one year old daughter was almost soothing to hear, if unexpected.

"Lauren!" Rachael screamed out her daughter's name, and looked up in time to see Lauren sprint toward her, going right to hold her head.

"Mom what's wrong?" Weak from the stabbing pains, Rachael tried to speak, weakly gesturing for her legs, trying to communicate the frantic thoughts in her mind. Lauren's companion knelt next to Rachael and looked at her, gaining recognition immediately. Meghan Corbett had been friends with Lauren since their high school when they'd somehow met despite going to rival schools. They'd stayed close past high school, and worked for the same organization, but in different locations.

"Rachael, where does it hurt?" Meghan asked in a much calmer tone than her friend. Rachael closed her eyes as a wave of pain passed and splayed her fingers over her stomach, tears squeezing out of her eyes to mix with the sweat she'd accumulated on her face. "Lauren, call your Dad and the Silver Guardians." Meghan ordered, and looked up at her friend when she didn't move. "Now, Lauren." She snapped, getting Lauren to blink back to life and grab the phone and dial.

"Eric Myers, Silver Guardians." He answered the phone calmly, a note of frustration only audible to those who loved him.

"Daddy, come home now, Mom's sick." Lauren said in a panic, unable to describe exactly what was going on. Eric stood up at his desk immediately, getting Wes' undivided attention.

"Lauren, what's happening?"

"She can't move, she's on the floor in pain, Daddy get an ambulance."

"We'll be right there." Eric dropped the phone in its cradle and sprinted out to where the Silver Guardian's team of emergency responders and got them at attention to speed to his own address, panic clouding his mind as he let Wes drive, too shaken to drive himself.

Before they could get there, Meghan was talking to Rachael calmly and had moved her legs to finally see what they both thought was a miscarriage. Rachael gasped when Meghan pressed on her stomach gently and the younger woman paled at what she was seeing. "Rachael, you need to push." She looked up and then to Lauren. "Get towels."

"No." Rachael managed the word and shook her head. This couldn't be happening. Her mind could only focus on one thing. You didn't need to push if you were miscarrying. She wasn't miscarrying.

"Push damnit." Meghan ordered in a voice that forced Rachael to bear down heavily as she'd done twice before. "Good, good, now again." Meghan encouraged her as Lauren came around the corner. "One more time, push." Rachael gave one last push and felt a release from her body, the pain fading slowly. The familiar cries of an infant shattered through the air, stunning Rachael and Lauren, who was numbly holding a pair of towels in her arms. Meghan gently pulled a tiny baby away from Rachael's body and tucked her into the towel in Lauren's arms, stunning her.

"Rachael!" Eric's panicked voice entered the house second before he entered the kitchen and froze, eyes first on his wife, then his daughter's friend covered in blood, and finally the baby in his daughter's arms.

"Eric." Rachael's weak voice brought him back to his senses and down to her. "I… I don't…"

"Shh, don't talk." Meghan soothed her as the EMT's came into the room, taking the baby from Lauren and immediately beginning to tend to Rachael, cutting the umbilical cord and settling the baby in Rachael's arms. Meghan helped the two men hoist her onto the stretcher and wheeled it out to the waiting ambulance, concern for both the newborn and her mother causing the air to be silent and tense. Wes stared at his sister and pale brother-in-law as they took the baby into the 'bus' that screamed its way to the same hospital both Lauren and Jake had been born in. Meghan followed in the truck she'd driven Lauren there in, Eric with his wife, Wes speeding to Brighton Academy to retrieve the only member of the Myers family who wasn't already present.

After being admitted into the hospital, Meghan spoke briefly with the doctor about what she'd done for Rachael and the baby before sitting with her friend, a hand resting on her friend's back.

"What is it?" Lauren asked suddenly after spending many silent minutes in the waiting room. Meghan turned to her friend inquisitively until exactly understanding the meaning of her question.

"A girl." Meghan smiled weakly. "You always wanted a baby sister."

In her hospital room Rachael lay still on the bed while gripping Eric's hand as tightly as she could. The doctors were doing things to her body that she wasn't entirely sure of, the numbing cream or whatever they'd used to keep her more comfortable. Finally, after what seemed like hours of stress and silent pain, a doctor came to her with a serene look on his face. "Rachael, you bled a little more than normal after giving birth, but we were able to control and stop it." He smiled with the good news.

"My baby." Rachael tried not to panic.

"Your daughter is fine." The young doctor smiled. "She was in the NICU for about two hours while we checked her over, but as far as we can tell, she's full term. You said you didn't know you were pregnant?" He knit his eyebrows curiously when Rachael nodded fearfully. "Well despite your lack of prenatal care, you'll both be fine. Relax, you're a healthy woman, you don't smoke, and rarely drink, she always had a chance." He nodded to the frozen form of Eric. "Congratulations." He looked to the doorway where a nurse carried in a small bundle. "She weighed seven pounds fourteen ounces when she got here, and is twenty inches long." The nurse showed the baby to her parents who both looked at her with wonder. Rachael released Eric's hand and gestured for him to take their tiny daughter, which he did, cradling her expertly in his arms, all his muscles useless with the baby.

"Beautiful." Rachael mumbled sleepily as she watched Eric with the baby she didn't know she was pregnant with. Full term. Amazing. Breathing slowly and finally relaxing, Rachael's last spoken words while she was awake surprised her husband. "We should let Meghan name her."

Although her words were slurred, Eric understood and nodded as he held the baby in his arms. A daughter. A second daughter. He mentally amended. And speaking of the first daughter… "Excuse me." He summoned a nurse quietly as Rachael was falling asleep. "Could you go get someone for me?"

"I'm sorry sir, only family is allowed in after hours." The nurse looked truly apologetic as Eric frowned.

"One is my daughter, the other delivered this one." He snapped and she nodded with a smile, leaving the room and returning in only a few minutes with Lauren and Meghan in tow. Lauren immediately went over to her mother and smiled as she brushed back the loose hairs that had fallen across Rachael's face. Her second action was to look at the baby her father held and breathed out.

"Oh." Was all she could say. "She's beautiful." Moving closer, she looked at the peaceful face of the now clean baby.

"She looks like you did." Eric said softly, shifting the baby into her sister's arms for the second time in her short life. Meghan shifted from foot to foot near the doorway, arms held tightly around her waist, feeling like a complete outsider. "Meghan." Eric stood and smiled, shaking her hand tightly and awkwardly. "Thank you."

"I was well trained." Meghan grinned impishly, referring to her career with one of the best intergalactic police departments there was.

"We want you to name her." Eric grinned before stepping back toward his wife and daughters. "Let us know before we leave." He bent over to kiss Rachael's forehead gently, then Lauren's, and finally, the baby's.

Hours later Meghan woke with a jolt to a kiss on her own forehead and opened her eyes to see the confused face of her fiancé hovering over her. Before she could greet him, his words of concern nearly made her laugh. "I hope that's not your blood."

"If it was, I think I'd be in a hospital bed, not this awful chair." She smiled weakly and stood, kissing him properly. "It's Rachael's." She winced a little at the pain in his eyes. "She's alright."

"I know, Lauren told me everything. You delivered my baby cousin." Chris Collins was a tall man, strong and usually good at controlling his emotions. But with this, he looked frazzled where he stood in the middle of the vacant waiting room.

"I did, and I get to name her." Meghan grinned and rubbed her eyes. "Is Jake here?" She took his wrist and twisted it to see the time. "Wow I passed out."

"You did, and yes, he's with his parents and sisters." Chris replied with a roll of his eyes. "I got here just before he and my Dad did." Chris looked down the hall to see Wes coming toward them. "Dad."

"Hey son, Meghan." Wes grinned and gave his future daughter-in-law a quick hug. "Jen said she'd be bringing clothes for you soon." He checked his watch and frowned. "She's probably downstairs, I'll be up."

"Thanks." The two stayed while Wes left as fast as he'd come, going in the same direction. "Got any names ready?" Chris asked as they sat down on the couch together.

"Yep, but I think her parents should know first." Meghan curled into his chest and closed her eyes, breathing a sigh of relief. They'd been together for a little over a year now, engaged for most of that time. Their wedding was being planned by their sisters, and as such was going to be a glamorous affair with, or without their consent.

By the time they were back in the hospital room, Meghan had changed from her blood stained shirt into one Jen had brought her that most likely belonged to Chris' sister Miranda, and grinned broadly as the tiny baby girl curled into her arms. Rachael fought to keep her eyes open, but the way Eric was gently stroking her hair and face was relaxing her to the point where sleep was inevitable. But her eyes stayed open to see the girl who'd delivered her daughter softly coo and rock the small baby.

"Mama, sleep if you need to." Lauren whispered the words carefully from the other side of the bed, using the term she'd called her when she was a little girl. Jake sat next to Lauren, his black hair stuck out at all angles, still dressed in pieces of his school uniform, the khaki pants and dress shirt, tie and jacket discarded in a corner.

"I want to know her name first." Rachael replied, words slurred from her exhaustion. She'd had only an hour nap before waking again. Meghan looked to her and smiled, rocking the baby in her arms, the natural fit of the child there causing her fiancé to look at them from a distance across the room. Wes' son was just like him; Rachael mused silently as she watched the terrified boy sit in the corner, hands defensively placed in his pockets.

"Then I'll let you get some sleep." Meghan smiled at Jake and Lauren, then Eric and finally Rachael. "I did a little research. Her first name means 'Joy of the Father' in Hebrew." Eric's eyes seemed to shine with pride at the thought. "Rachael is also Hebrew, and this one's middle name is Scandinavian, like 'Eric'." The entire family looked intrigued as Meghan explained her sources, which themselves were very well thought out for the four hours she'd had to come up with it. "I've decided on, Abigail Odina Myers."

"Abby." Rachael murmured, her eyes blinking shut as she slipped into the peaceful world of dreams. Eric watched his wife fall asleep, content that she wasn't in any medical trouble by the many machines she was attached to, but hating them at the same time. He'd only seen her in this position a few times, this was the third time after giving birth to his child, twice from injuries she'd sustained as a ranger. The same injuries sent her twice, both times scaring him so badly he'd had to admit to himself he was still hopelessly in love with Wes' sister. Married for the past twenty-one years, she was his best friend, and he was hers, even though sometimes they had more fun fighting than anything else. In the heat of an argument Rachael had once shouted at him that she'd 'rather fight with him than kiss anyone else'. They'd spent the next three days locked in their house alone. Now that house would hold a baby for the first time in fourteen years. Years since he'd changed a diaper, woken up in the middle of the night to sooth and feed a hysterical child. His child. Even though they had unofficially decided they were done with children years ago, he was thrilled to have another one. Another daughter to spoil as only a father can.

"Pop." Jake's voice cut into his thoughts and he saw his older children standing next to him, Lauren holding baby Abigail in her arms, Meghan and Chris nowhere to be seen.

"We're going to go, take Abby back to the nursery." Lauren whispered with a smile before bending down to kiss him on the cheek. "We'll go stay at the mansion tonight." Jake hugged his father as quickly as he could, trying to be the manliest a teenage boy could. Eric nodded; happy his kids were going to stay at the mansion Rachael and Wes had grown up in, the same house Alan Collins had given to Wes and his wife, Jen, before moving to Boston. Being with people tonight would help them through this surprising turn of events.

They left the room, wheeling Abby's clear plastic bassinet with them to return her to the safety of the nursery. Eric turned back to his sleeping wife and brushed her long black hairs away from her face. A few of them had started to turn a silvery color, but when Rachael discovered it she'd laughed and shown it to him with a smile. She called them proof their children had run her ragged through her life, and wore them like a badge. And now they were starting over. A feeling of contentment settled in his chest as his hand stayed wrapped around Rachael's. Three children, two girls, and a boy. A grin slid onto his face as he stood up, kissed Rachael's forehead and moved to the short couch in the room, settling down on it, slipping into unconsciousness as soon as his head hit the stiff pillow.


End file.
